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ADD 11 E S S
DELIVERED AT THE
UNITARIAN CHURCH,
IN TJXBUIDGE, MASS.,
In 1864,
WITH FURTHER STATEMENTS, NOT MADE A TART OF THE
ADDRESS, BUT INCLUDED IN THE NOTES.
BY
HENRY CHAPIN.
PRESS OF CHARLES HAMILTON,
311 Main Street.
1881.
(!Htiitcti, initf) preface, l3tocjrap!)ical Skctcfj of
Sutige Cfjapin, anti ^ppcntiices relating to tf}e ^is=
torg of ^xhxitiQt, tig
3Elusf)ton ©♦ 23urr»
^Scr, |Hass«, Nob*, t88l.
CONTENTS.
PAGK.
Prekace IX
Biographical Sketch xi
Address 17
^pjjcntiicrs.
The Successors of Rev. Mr. Clarke 101
The Successors of Rev. Mr. Judsox 101
The Baptist Church 107
The Roman Catholic Church 109
The Methodist Episcopal Church 110
Joseph Thayer, Esq 112
James Watsox Robbiks, M. D 116
Jonathan Whipple 1 20
Elihu Brown 123
Orsmus Taft 124
The Wood Family 12G
Ironstone 129
Manufacturing 132
Description of Uxbridge— 1832 159
Of SOAfE ME^rBERS OF THE Capron FA>nLY • . 165
VI. CONTENTS.
Tub Taft Family 170
The Puiujc Schools 175
Select Schools and Academies 189
The Llbkaries in Uxbuidge 197
Banks in Uxbridge 202
The Burying-Grounds 204
List of Soldiers in the War against the Rebellion . . . 208
Mrs. Margaret L. Bennett 213
COItBIGENDA.
Page IX, Preface, line Otli from tlie top of page, for in relating it, read
relating to it.
Page 39, line 4tli from the bottom of page— Omit t after strange and sujjply
it after ago.
Page 108, note to Appendix. "Witli wliat is here said of the place of worship
used by the Baptist Society, compare what is said of this hall, on page 154, last
paragraph but one on the page.
Page 119, line 10th from the bottom of page — After home, place a comma,
omitting the semicolon.
Page 146, line 4th fi'om the bottom of page — For employes read employees.
Page 199, line 5th from the bottom of page, second note — In place of on the
occasion of his having settle, read v:hen he settled.
Page 209, the fourth name from the top, in the first column, should nad.
Burr ill.
TREFACE.
In the winter of 1863-4, Mr. Chapin was invited to
deliver a lecture in Uxbridge, in the course given for
the benefit of the First Conijreffational Church. He
selected the early history of the town, in wliich he took
great interest, for his subject, and collected so much
valuable material in relating it, that some of the public-
spirited citizens felt it to be very desirable that the
information thus obtained should be presei-ved in a per-
manent form, and requested him, some four years since,
to give them his manuscript for pubhcation. He consented,
but ^\dshed to render it more valuable by the addition of
various details equally worthy of record, which would have
made liis lecture too long for delivery, and others that have
since come to his knowledge. His illness and subsequent
death prevented him from preparing the work for the press ;
and in the spring of 1879 it was intrusted to me, and was
immediately entered upon as a sacred trust. The address
as originally delivered, the notes which Judge Chapin was
engaged in preparing, and the title page he had wi'ittcn,
are now presented to those specially interested in the
matters here spoken of.
I have endeavored, by carefully studying the address,
to enter into the spirit in wliich it was written, and in this
way to complete the notes that were left, — some of them,
2
PREFACE.
in the nature of the case, in a very fragmentary state. I
have added information about some matters not touched
upon by Mr. Chapin, and I wish I could have done much
more ; but the knowledge of some things very interesting
to the town, as for instance a list of the men from
Uxbridffe who served in the armies of the Ee volution, it
was impossible to procure.
Some of the information here given it has been difficult
to obtain ; and my acknowledgments are here made to the
several gentlemen who have assisted me : but my thanks are
especially due to Charles A. Wheelock and Jonathan F.
South wick.
Those who read this address will please remember that
it is not a history of the town of Uxbridge they are
reading, but memorabilia, and if its history should ever
be written, I have no doubt the writer will duly appreciate
the labor here expended. Much later information than
that here given, and naturally finding a place in a history
of the town, is, for obvious reasons, omitted. I recommend
that with this address, the address of Judge Alphonso
Taft, given at the Taft gathering in Uxbridge, August 12th,
1874, be also read.
Judge Chapin always retained a warm attachment, not
only to his native town, Upton, but to the people of
Uxbridge, where he began his professional life. His name
I know is, and long may it be, a cherished and house-
hold word among them.
RUSHTON D. BURR.
May, 1881.
BIOGRAPinCAL SKETCH.
Henry Chapin was born in Upton, Mass., May 13th, 1811.
His parents possessed small means and he had no early
advantages ])eyond those commonly enjoyed by all the sons
of New England. By the sudden death of his father, when
he was fourteen years old, he was thrown almost wholly
upon his own resources, and decided to learn the carpen-
ter's trade, but became convinced after a few months trial,
that he had neither the natural aptitude nor the incUnation
for that avocation. He now determined to apply himself to
study and began at once to fit for college. He Avas grad-
uated at Brown University in 1835. He then taught school
in his native to\Am, afterwards studied law with the late
Emory Washl>urn and at Cambridge, and on his admission
to the bar in 1838 began to practice in Uxbridge. In 1846,
he removed to AVorcester and became a partner of the late
Rejoice NeA\^on. His practice at the bar was large and
successful. He was distinguished for industry, faitlifulness
and accuracy in professional business, and his competent
knowledge of the law, with his simple, direct and }>er-
suasive style of address, gave him great success in the trial
of causes. In 1858, the courts of Probate and Insolvency,
up to that time distinct, were united, and j\Ir. Chapin was
appointed to preside over the new court. His appointment
gave great satisfaction at the time and an experience of
twenty years only served to confirm its wisdom. During
that period, proba])ly, more than half the estates in Worcester
Xll BIOGRAPinCAL SKETCH.
County passed under his jurisdiction, in one or the other
side of his court, and he was brought into official relations
with a larger number of persons in all conditions of life,
than any other public officer of the county. His patience,
fidelity and impartiality have been universally admitted, and
his suavity of manner — the natural expression of a kindly
heai-t — gave him a strong hold upon the afiection as well as
the respect and confidence of the people of the county.
Though his political opinions were strongly held and
expressed freely, in public and in private speech, Judge
Chapin had little taste for pohtical life. He represented the
town of Uxbridge in the General Court of 1845, and Avas
nominated for Congress in 1856 by the republican conven-
tion, but declined the honor. He was elected mayor of
Worcester in 1849, and again in 1850, declining a third
nomination, but accepted the office again in Deceml)er, 1870,
when he was chosen by the council to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of Mayor Blake, but dechned to be a candidate
for the full term, and retired after a few months service, as
soon as a successor could be provided by a popular election.
He was chosen delegate to the constitutional convention in
1853. In 1848, he was appointed by Governor Bnggs
Commissioner of Insolvency ; and in 1855, by Governor
Gardner, commissioner under the "personal lil^erty law"
of Massachusetts, designed for the protection of persons
charged with being fugitive slaves. He was for many years
a member of the State Board of Education and for fifteen
years one of the Trustees of the Worcester Lunatic Hospital.
His capacity for business caused his services to be required
in connection with several institutions of the city. He was
for many years president of the People's Fire Insurance
Company, a director of the City National Bank, and vice-
president of the Worcester County Institution for Savings.
He served as a director of the Providence and ^Vorcester
railroad about thirty years.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. xiii
Judge Chapin's active benevolence loiind scoi)o in in:inv
directions. He was always ready to do a kind ad, mikI
next to doinir o-ood dinn-lly, lio liked to oriraiiize \A:ius Jind
institutions hy which tlio charity of others might he com-
bined A\itii his own, and made more effectual through an
orderly system of administration. The Old Men's Home of
A\'orcester, recently incorporated, was one of the latest
benevolent enteri)rises that he conceived and aided. In
religious belief he was decidedly a conservative Unitarian,
and a devoted meml)er of the Church of the Unity in
A\'orcester, being for many years superintendent of its
Sunday School. After he resigned the superintendency, he
joined the Bil)le class of the school, and remained a
mem1)er of it until his failing health prevented him from
meeting -svith it. He was active in the denomination, and
for many years took a leading position in it, being twice
elected President of the American Unitarian Association,
and was for four years a memljer of the Council of the
National Conference of Unitarian Churches.
These numerous and diverse employments illustrate the
varied activity of his mind, the kindness of his heart, the
trust that he inspired in all who came in contact witli him.
Another kind of service that was often required of him, and
seldom declined, was public speaking on all kinds of
occasions. His good nature, wit, and an unfailing store of
anecdotes, told with remarkable spirit and iiumor, made his
impromptu speeches always acceptable. During the davs
of the anti-slavery agitation he spoke fi-equently and effect-
ively in behalf of the free-soil and republican i)artics ;
l)ut after liis acceptance of a judicial office he thought
it unbecoming to take a conspicuous part in jjolitical
controversies.
Three years before his death, he received the degree of
LL.D., from Brown University, R. I. Judge Chai)in's health
began to fail in the sununer of 1877, but he continued to
XIV BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
attend to the duties of his office, and perhaps longer than was
prudent. He died Sunday afternoon, October 13th, 1878.
After the services at the house, pul^lic services were
held in the Church of the Unity, October 16th. The
church was filled by the representatives of the various
bodies with which Judge Chapin had been associated, and
by those who from far and near came to pay his memory
their heartfelt respect. The services Avere conducted by the
pastor, Rev. Mr. Blanchard, and Rev. Mr. Shippen, a
former pastor, and secretary of the American Unitarian
Association.
Mr. Chapin married October 8th, 1839, Sarah, daughter
of Joseph Thayer, Esq. , of Uxbridge. Mrs. Chapin died
April 30th, 1869. Their only child, a son, died at the age
of seven years and ten months. In 1871, May 23d, he
married Louisa, a sister of his former wife, who, with their
daughter, six years of age, survives him.
The hmits of this sketch of the life and character of
Judge Chapin, necessarily prevent the insertion of the
beautiful and honorable tril)utes paid to him l)y the City
Government of Worcester and the American Antiquarian
Society, at meetings held for this purpose, after his death.
And for the same reason we are compelled to omit the
equally appreciative resolutions passed by the Alumni of
Brown University at their jumual meeting ; by the Worces-
ter County Conference of Unitarian Churches ; by the
Boards of various Corporations ; and by the Representa-
tives of the Educational and Charitaljle Institutions in
whose behalf Mr. Chapin had so long and so faithfully
served, gratifying as it would be to introduce them all ; but
it seems specially l)ecoming that as the law was the chosen
pursuit of his life, and so dear to him, that the slightest
aspersion, cast, even in jest, upon the honor of the profes-
sion, was always more indignantly repelled than any
personal attack, a place should be found for the resolutions
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. XV
passed October 7tli, 1871), by the Worcester County Bar at
the first session of tlic Supreme Court, held alU-r his
decease.
Resolved, That in the death of Henry Chai)in, tlie Worces-
ter County Bar reahzes the loss of one of its nicnibors, who
Avhilc engai^ed in the imictice of his profession brought to its
duties the i)etter elements of an exalted i)rofessional probity
and tidelity. Genial by nature, courteous and considerate
in his intercourse with men, earnest in his devotion to the
side he espoused, faithful to the interests of his clients, con-
scientious in his relations with the courts, at times elo(juent
in his addresses and always painstaldng in the prei)aration
and presentation of his cause, with a mind well balanced and
abundant self-control, he furnished in his professional life the
model of an admiral)le lawyer.
His simple tastes, cordial manners and well cultivated
mind enal)led him to win a social position of intluence and
respect which has rarely been surpassed in this community.
In the official relations to which he was called by the
voluntary suffrages of a gTateful constituency, he carried
ydi\\ him an undivided devotion to the i)u])lic welfare. He
possessed an abiding faith in the peo})le and an especial
confidence in the character and stabihty of the people of
Worcester. In his inaugural address as Mayor in 1871, he
said, "Our i:)ower is in our men."
He gi-aced informal occasions with wit and eloquence, and
in public exigencies liis face and tongue were a power in
promoting the welfare of the people.
He was by nature admirably fitted to fill the office and
perform the duties as Judge of the Probate Court. His
patience was untiring, his symj:)athy unsimulated, his taste
and strong common sense sufficed him in emergencies. The
urbanity, courtesy, modesty and simple dignity with which
he conducted the business of his court, won for him universal
confidence and respect. His official duties in his relations to
the pliilanthropic and eleemosynary institutions of the Com-
monwealth were always scrupulously performed, and by his
death they and the State are deprived of a faithful servant
and a generous benefactor.
We regard the life of Henry Chapin as one of usefulness,
honor and success. He was a bright example to youth, a
XVI BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
pleasant companion to those of riper years, a useful citizen
and a true man in the relations of social, professional and
domestic life.
Resolved, That the sympathy of the members of the Bar
be extended to our deceased brother's family, and that these
resolutions l)e presented to the Supreme Judicial Court and
the Probate Court of said County with the request that they
be entered upon the records.
Mr. Justice Morton in receiving the resolutions refeiTcd to
his association with Judge Chapin, when they were in col-
lege together in 1835, spealdng of the deceased as a promi-
nent member of the literary society, that he then became
interested in him and had watched his future life. He said
he could with entire cordiality and intelligence endorse
every word of the resolutions. Judge Chapin's record as a
Judge of Probate extended farther than his own county and
his example was felt throughout the State. It is seldom
that you see on a bench three such gentlemen as those
which the Probate Court of this county can boast. The
examples of Barton, Thomas and Chapin will long be
remembered. The resolutions were then ordered to be
entered upon the records of the Court.
ADDRESS.
A FIGURE of speech, often appropriate and express-
ive, represents one as being out of his element;
and many a man often reahzes in his own
experience the truth of the expression. In an age,
when lecturing has become a kind of profession and
men cultivate themselves for it with all the appli-
ances which eloquence and literature can furnish, he
who rashly enters the field is liable to learn that he
had better never have made the attempt, and is apt
to retire from it a wiser and perhaps a sadder man.
I do not come before you in the capacity of a
lecturer. In answer to invitations, to say the least,
pressing, in an unguarded moment, I gave some
encouragement to stand the draft, or furnish a
substitute. I^o substitute having been procured, I
am here.
It will be impossible to present to you what has
been prepared for this occasion, without laying
myself open to the charge of dealing too freely w ith
the personal pronoun of the first person singular.
There are times in a man's life, when he has a right
3
18 ADDRESS.
to speak in the first or second person, and about
himself or anybody else, as best suits his pleasure,
or convenience. For instance, when one is holding
sweet converse with parents, brothers, sisters, or
friends, the rules of criticism are not apt to be
applied very relentlessly, and he is allowed to say
pretty much what he pleases, to talk as much and as
long as he pleases, and to dress his ideas in the
garb which suits them best. With this feeling, I
come hither to-night, trusting that you will allow
me to present to you the thoifghts which have
occurred to me upon subjects local in their character
and have no special attraction for any person who
does not feel a deep interest in the character and
history of the town of Uxbridge. It would be far
more easy to give you an hour filled with general
ideas upon some of the popular and exciting subjects
of the day; to talk about this gigantic rebelHon, and
the best method of putting it down, to discuss some
of the questions which fill the hearts of the men and
women of this generation, but I shall avoid them all.
My apology is this: when I reflect upon the last
twenty-five years, and call to mind those with whom
it has been my lot to hold pleasant intercourse, it is
a source of deep regret that I have not treasured up,
and put into some tangible form, many facts of a
local and interesting character, now forever buried
in the dark ocean of the past. If by the crude and
ADDllESS. 1',)
desultory elFort of this evening, I can make any
reparation for past neglect, or pay any part of the
deht of gratitude I owe to this section of the county,
the labor of preparation will not have been spent in
vain.
I need not say to you, that this town combines
much natural beauty of scenery and was once a fair
specimen of a Kew England farming town. The
younger Bezaleel Taft used to say, " I do not place
Uxbridge in the first class of farming towns in the
county, but it stands among the fii'st of the second
class."
The territory now included within the limits of
Uxbridge and IS^orthbridge was originally a part of
Mendon, and was set off from the parent town June
27th, 1727, under the name of Uxbridge.* This part
of Mendon was called by the Indians who early
inhabited it Wacantug.f It is said, these Indians
had Indian teachers among them to instruct them in
the principals of the Christian religion.
The first town meeting of Uxbridge was held
July 25th, 1727, one hundred and thirty-six years
ago last July. The members of the first board t)f
selectmen were Robert Taft, Ebenezer Read, Wood-
*Uxbridge received its name from nenry Ta^et, Earl of Uxbridjri', at the
time a member of the Kinji's Privy Couucil. See AVilliaiii n<nry Wliilleiiiore's
Essay upon the names of Massiifliusetts towns.
t Tills name is sometimes sinllcd Waeiintiie and Wacantuek. The true
spelling is probably Wacuutug.
20 ADDRESS.
land Thompson and Joseph White. The first town
clerk was Edmund Rawson. Tlie town remained
in the form in which it was originally organized,
until N^orthbridge was set off as a separate town in
the year 1772. The fact that these two towns were
originally one municipality explains the reaso,T3 why,
until a period comparatively recent, their annual
March meetings were held upon different days of
the week, one being held on Monday and the other
on Wednesday. Those who had been in the habit of
meeting together on this occasion, talking politics,
swapping oxen, drinking flip, or doing something
more useful, by mutual consent made this convenient
and satisfactory arrangement, in order to enable
them to continue the same, or similar acts of
kindness and good neighborhood.
It is interesting to examine the early records of
the town, and observe the prevalence of certain
names which seem to have come down like heir-
looms from generation to generation. For instance,
take the name of Taft. I have had the curiosity
to observe casually how often this name appears in
the list of town officers. In 1741, 1742 and 1743,
it appears six times in the list of town officers for
each year, and in the year 1775 it appears sixteen
times. One is reminded of the old story of the
stranger in Uxbridge, who, meeting a gentleman
whom he had never seen before, exclaimed, " How
ADDUESS. 21
arc you Mr. Taft ? " "How did you know my
name was Tall?" was the answer. " AVell," said
he, " I have spoken to twelve persons shice I came
into this town ; eleven of them answered to the
nani3 of Taft, and I coneliuled it would Ije safe to
addre^^s you by that name."
The town clerks of this town have been : —
Edmund Rawson, 1727—1753.
John Sibley, 1753—1757.
Moses Taft, 1757— 17G6.
John Sil)ley, 176G-1773.
Simeon Wheelock, Jr., 1773— 1777.
Seth Read, 1777—1778.
Bezaleel Taft, 1778—1782.
Josiah Read, 1782—1783.
Bezaleel Taft, 1783—1784.
Aaron Taft, Jr., 1781—1799.
Frederic Taft, 1799—1804.
John Capron, 1801—1821.
Daniel Carpenter, 1821—1811:.
Amariah Taft, 1841—1855.
Wiliam W. Thayer, 1855— 185G.
Henry Capron, 1856 — the present time.*
You will observe that genei'ally the town has
adopted a wise course in reference to luuuerous
*IIriiry Capi-on hold tlio offico of Town CIitU for twfiify years. 1S50— ISTI!.
aud was succeeded by Charles C. Caprou, who hold.> the otliee at the prescut
tiiue.
22 ADDRESS.
and successive elections of the same town clerk,
and in this way has secured far more uniformity
and accuracy in the town records, than would have
resulted from more frequent changes in the record-
ing officer of the town.
The people of the town, according to the early
records, had an eye to their own interests and were
quite distinct and emphatic in their expressions in
regard to them. They had their own views of
matters and things, and stated them quite unequivo-
cally. Soon after the separation from Mendon, we
find their loyalty to the parent town illustrated by
the following vote; —
" Voted, About Worcester's being a sheir town, that
unless Mendon be made a sheir town as AVoroester, to hold
half y*' county courts at, they had rather remain as now, in
the county of Suffolk."
When I first read the record of this vote, I was
struck with the statement, implying that Uxbridge
was once a part of the county of Suffolk. Upon
examination I find, that down to the time of the
creation of Worcester county, this territory was
embraced within the limits of the county of Suffolk.
From the tenor of the vote, we may naturally
infer that the question of a new county was
discussed as early as 1728, and the people of
Uxbridge thought fit to express their opinion in
the form already stated.
ADDRESS. 23
The whole territory of Massachusetts in 1G13
was divided into four counties; Essex being the
eastern, Middlesex in the middle, Suffolk in the
southern and (Old) Norfolk in the northern part.
Hampshire county was created in 16G2. Essex
county, embracing all of Old Norfolk wdiich had
not been set off to New Hampshire, was created in
1680. Plymouth, Barnstable and Bristol counties
were created iu 1685. When the islands of Nan-
tucket and Martha's Vineyard were transferred
from New York to Massachusetts, they constituted
Dukes county, from which Nantucket was set off
as a separate county in 1695. Worcester county
was created in 1730, just two years after the vote
referred to. Berkshire in 1761, Hampden in 1811,
and Franklin in 1812.
For nearl}^ one hundred years after its organiza-
tion, Uxbridge remained simply an agricultural
town wath the usual amount of such mechanical
business as was carried on in the rural towns of
New England. When we examine its records and
traditions, we find many of the same proceedings
which were common in towns of similar character
and position during that period. The location of
roads, the building of bridges, the care of the
schools, the support of the poor, and the thousand-
and-one municipal matters, either more or less
important, were voted upon and acted upon from
24 ADDRESS.
year to year, in a manner that fills one with a feel-
ing of deep resi^ect for the care and fidelity with
which the men of that day performed their muni-
cipal duties, and with a feehng of wonder and
astonishment at the cheapness and economy with
which they carried them on. In 1728, they allowed
Mr. Solomon Wood, for services as town treasurer
one year, five shillings, and at the same time allowed
Lieut. Joseph Taft seven shillings for a barrel of
cider. Truly, apples must have been scarce in
1728 in the territory of Wacantug. In 1735, the
town voted to raise twenty pounds to defray the
town expenses this year. In 1734, Mr. Edmund
Rawson was allowed twenty pounds for keeping
school six months and boarding himself. In 1731,
the town sold their stock of ammunition to help
defray town expenses. In the same year it was
voted, that " We will make choice of a man to go
on y^ town's behalf to see about letting y^ fish
come up y® great river in case other towns should
send to Providence to joyn with them in agreeing
to have y"* fish let up y' great river at Jenckes
falls."
From the year 1775, during the revolutionary
war, we find that the fires of patriotism burned
here brightly and steadily. Although they voted
that inoculation for the small-pox should not be
set up in Uxbridge, the people showed, not only
ADDRESS. 25
that they were not afraid of Great Britain, but that
they were willing to contribute their full share
towards the prosecution of the war.
At the meeting in May, 177G, in the spring
previous to the declaration of independence, an
article of which the following is a copy was acted
upon: " To see if the town will vote if the honora-
ble Congress should, for the safety of the United
States colonies, declare themselves independent
of the kingdom of Great Britain, whether that
they will solemnly engage with their lives and
fortunes to support them in the measure." Have
you any question how they voted ? Of course they
voted in the affirmative. This is not all. In 1778,
the town voted " to pay one quarter more than the
County rate for 1777," and although an attempt
was made at a subsequent meeting to defeat it, or
rescind it, the attempt signally failed. In the same
year the town voted to raise a committee to procure
clothing for the soldiers, and a man to carry it to
them. This, you will bear in mind, took place long
before any public conveyance was established in
this vicinity, and when a journey to and from
different sections of the country, was a formidable
undertaking in labor and endurance. Prices having
been much increased by reason of the war, the
town also voted " to pay one-half of the minister's
salary in products and labor at the same prices
26 ADDRESS.
at which they were furnished at the time of his
settlement." What a splendid arrangement it
would be now for a minister, or any one else, who
is dependent upon a salary, if a similar spirit of
liberality could be exercised towards him, at a time
when coal is fourteen dollars a ton, and all the
other necessaries of life- are proportionally as
expensive. A word to the wise is of course
sufficient.
In the early histories of the towns of New Eng-
land, we are struck with the attention which was
given to the matter of public worship. The people
of this town were of the old puritan stock, and the
puritans, whether sincere or not, were always
marked by their care for the institutions of religion.
One of the earliest votes of the new town in 1727,
was that they would maintain public preaching by
way of rate, and " would build a meeting house
forty feet in length, thirty-five feet in breadth and
nineteen feet between joynts." In 1752 it was
voted to pay i£48 to Mr. Webb for his salary, and
see whether he has been honorably maintahied
according to the agreement with him. In 1773
immediately after IS^orthbridge was set ofi*, the town
voted to remove the old meeting-house, if it could
be, and that the new one be set in the same place.
If I am not mistaken, what is spoken of as the old
meeting-house was the one which stood upon the
ADDRESS. 27
common until after the year 1830, and was the one
where all sorts of meetings from time to time were
held. If any one here has any curiosity to know
more of the common and the location of that
meeting-house, which stood upon the hill near
where Mr. Hayward's house is situated, he will find
under vote of May 11th, 1797, a copy of an agree-
ment signed by Bezaleel Taft, John Capron, Silas
Rawson and Robert G. Tillinghast, selectmen of
Uxbridge, and John Capron, Elihu Brown and
Samuel Willard, parties adjoining the common,
fixing the several lines and boundaries of the
same.* He will also find annexed thereto a j^lan
of the common, which is quite curious and interest-
ing. The lines and their bearings are given, there
is a drawing of the meeting-house, the house for-
merly occupied by Dr. Samuel Willard with its
gambrel roof, a building which I suppose to be the
old hotel, the horse-sheds, the house formerly occu-
pied by Elihu Brown, now Mr. Jepherson's, and the
old school-house. In addition to these, is a draw-
ing (not a photograph) of the surveyor with his
instrument. I scarcely recognize the features, but
my opinion is that the surveyor was Frederic Taft.
* The following vote, with date of March 5th, 1794, appears: "Voted to
choose a committee to see all the incumbrances removed off the common, that
lies about the town's meeting-house." Nicholas Baylies, Asa Thayer and
Samuel Taft were chosen a committee for the purpose.
28 ADDRESS.
Compare that sketch taken in 1797, with Uxbridge
as it is in 1864, and you will be able to form a
pretty clear idea of the growth of this village
within the last seventy years.
As a fact tending to , show the manners and
customs of men with a puritan education, at the
time of the raising of the first meeting-house in
Uxbridge, in 1730, it became the duty of an
appropriate committee to purchase fifteen gallons
of rum. One can hardly help asking himself, what
raisings wouldn't there be now, if there should be
procured and distributed on such an occasion fifteen
gallons of what we call rum at the present day.
It is probably true, that if the quality of the liquors
of that time had been as poor as it is now, and
raisings had been characterized by the purchase
and distribution of such material, there would at
the present time have existed few descendants of
the men of 1730 to listen to any speaker upon an
occasion like this.
The first settled minister in Uxbridge was the
Rev. Nathan Webb. He was settled February
3d, 1731. He died March 16th, 1772, after a
ministry of over forty years and in the same year
in which ^orthbridge was set off as a separate
town. All that can be learned about him tends to
the conviction, that he was a fjiithful preacher, an
earnest, true-hearted man, and that he exerted a
ADDRESS. 2!)
beneficial influence npon the minds and hearts of
the people. I have in my possession one of his
written sermons which shows deep religions feeling,
good sense, clearness of style, and tends to convince
me that he was a sound thinker and good writer.
He was a man of good temper and genial humor.
He nsed to tell, with much merriment, the follow-
ing anecdote. A couple came to him to be married.
Having tied the knot, he was inquired of by the
happy groom about his terms. Mr. Webb told him
that he generally left the compensation to the
parties. The bridegroom handed him four coppers,
and with his bride left the house of the parson.
Mr. "Webb enjoyed it so much that he could not
keep it to himself, and the story reached the ears of
the generous party. Meeting Mr. Webb, he told
him if he was not satisfied, he would make him
satisfied, and handed him another copper. Mr.
Webb always said he was satisfied.
The second settled minister was the Rev. Heze-
kiah Chapman, who was settled January 27th,
1774, and was dismissed April 5th, 1781. In 1778,
Mr. Chapman asked for a dismission, but the town
voted to pay one-half of his salary in any of the
prodnce of their farms at the price which was
current for the same articles at the time of his
settlement in the ministry of the town, or, in labor
at the price which labor was worth at the same
30 ADDRESS.
time. In April, 1781, we find the entries of which
the following is a copy: —
" At a meeting of the church in Uxbridge, April 5th, 1781.
Whereas, the Rev. Hezekiah Chapman, the pastor of this
church, some time since signified to us his desire of a dis-
mission from his pastoral relation to this church and congre-
gation on account of the languishing state of his health. The
church having maturely considered the reason he was pleased
to assign for his dismission, and previously consulted with
the congregation, voted unanimously, that a dismission be
granted Mr. Chapman agreeable to his request."
Mr. Chapman's reply is as follows : —
' ' Mr. Chapman being dismissed from his ministerial rela.-
tion to the church in Uxbridge, feels himself in justice bound
to declare, that they have treated him with tenderness and
respect, and that it is with reluctance that he leaves them.
The care of his health, which for years has been languishing,
obliges him to leave such worthy and valuable friends. He
wishes them prosperity, and shall never cease to rejoice in
their welfare."
The real reason for Mr. Chapman's leaving does
not appear in the foregoing copies. It is a sad
fact, that the real cause of his leaving Uxbridge
was intemperance. After his dismission, he left
the town and his wife remained for some time
alone. She was obliged to sell sundry articles of
household furniture to procure the necessaries of
life, and some of the furniture, after a lapse of
seventy-five years, may be seen in this town in a
good state of preservation.
The third settled minister was the Rev. Josiah
Spaulding, who was settled September 11th, 1783,
ADDRESS. 31
and was dismissed October 27th, 1787. It has ])een
written and printed, that both Mr. Chapman and
Mr. Spanlding were dismissed more on account of
the peculiarity of their religious sentiments than
from any other cause. In my opinion this state-
ment is not a correct one, about one of them at
least. Mr. Spanlding was unmarried. He was
distinguished by a remarkable fondness for the
Proverbs of Solomon. In the Bible which he was
in the habit of reading, the Book of Proverbs
became so soiled and Avorn, that one could readily
discern the locality of his favorite reading by the
appearance of the well thumbed pages, that were
subjected to his frequent perusal. It appears that
in 1787, a vote of the town was passed and sent to
Mr. Spanlding, advising him to ask a dismission,
and the action of the church and an ecclesiastical
council is contained in a certain vote of which the
following is a copy: —
*' Uxbridge, Sept. 10th, 1787. At a Chh. meeting regu-
larly warned at the jNIeetinghouse : After reading a vote
sent to our Rev. Pastor from this Towm, or Congregational
Society, in which he was advised to ask a dismission from
us : and after some conversation, the question ])eing put to
see if this Clih. ^Aill join with their Pastor in calling a mutual
Council of Pastors and Churches to advise upon the expe-
diency of Ms being dismissed or not — The Vote passed in the
affirmative.
Voted, again, that nothing shall be laid before the Council
except what is first laid before the Chh. and their voice had
upon it, if thev see fit, and that 14 days before the Council
sit."
32 ADDRESS.
(In Council.)
The Church gave the Kev. Mr. S^Daulding the
following recommendation : —
" Whereas, Rev. Mr. Josiah Spaulding is dismissed from
us as to liis pastoral relation, and as he has requested a dis-
mission from his meml)crship from this Chh. and a recom-
mendation to the communition and fellowship of the Clili.
of Christ wherever God in his providence shall call him :
this is therefore a testimony that he is a brother in good and
regular standing ; and in consequence of his request, wc do
dismiss him from particular memhcrship in this Chh. and do
recommend him to the Chh. of Christ, wherever God in his
providence shall call him, as a brother in good and regular
standing. This vote passed y*' Presence of the Council and
was signed by the Moderator at the request of the Chh.
A^IARIAH FROST,
Moderator,'^
(In the result.)
' ' The Council feel it incumlient on them to declare that
they view Mr. Spaulding's christian character in a fair and
amiable light, and cannot but hope Christ will still use liim
as an instrument of spreading his Gospel, and promoting his
cause in the world. And accordingly we recommend him
as a preacher of the Gospel."
Mr. Spaulding was afterwards settled in Worth-
ington, Mass. It would be pleasant to know the
reason why the town saw fit to pass the vote
referred to, but I have not been able to ascertain
any of the facts relating to the same.*
* After the dismissal of Mr. Spauldiug, Mr. Samuel Mead preached for some
time in Uxbridfje, and in Decemlier 1791, the town voted "to concur with
the church in giving Mr. Mead a call to be settled over them in the ministry,"
also, " Voted £100 as au encouragement to settle, and £90 per annum salary."
No answer appears on the records to the foregoing votes.
ADDRESS. 33
The fourth settled minister was the Rev. Samuel
Jud.soi), Avlio was settled October 17th, 1792, and
dismissed in 1832. In the language of the epitaph
upon his tombstone, " He was for forty years the
faithful and beloved pastor of the church of Christ
in Uxbridge, where, after a life of purity and
benevolence, he died in the faith and hope of the
gospel, Nov. 11th, A. D. 1832, aged 65:' I find
that he was born in Woodbury, Conn., December
7th, 1767. He married Miss Sally Bartlett of
Salem, May 28th, 1797. He was a man of remark-
able conscientiousness, rare good nature, much
native common sense, and during his long ministry
he retained the love and confidence of the people
of his charge.*
* The call given to Mr. Jiulson was unanimous, anil was accompanied by the
following votes: "Voted, to give Mr. Samuel Jndson £200, provided he shall
accept the call and settle in said town ; one-half to be paid in one year from
the time he is ordained, the other half two years from said ordination, witliout
interest." Also, " Voted, To give Mr. Judson £75 as an annual salary, so
long as he shall be our minister."
In relation to the incorporation of the First Congregational Society, the
following appears on the record, April 3d, 1797. " Article 3d. Voted, That
the petitioners mentioned in said article (the names are not mentioned in the
article as it stands on the record) have said town's consent for their being
incorporated agreeable to the prayer of their petition, with an amendment
(that is) that they have the right to improve the ministry money so long as
they shall remain a society as petitioned for and support the Gospel therein."
From the petition mentioned in the foregoing vote, originated the act of
incorporation of the " First Congregational Society in Uxbridge," which passed
at the next session of the (general Court. From this time all connection
between the "Congregational Society" and the town ceased. The town
occupied the meeting-house for town-meetings and business purposes, until it
was taken down for the purpose of building a new church in IH:,U.
The new churcli of the First Congregational Society was dedicated in Janu-
ary 1835, the pastor. Rev. Mr. Clarke, preaching the sermon. This building
5
34 ADDRESS.
At the clismisBal of Mr. Judson, the elements
of religious opinion came to an open rupture, and
those who had united under his ministrations,
formed themselves into separate societies, according
to mixed motives of personal feelings, or religious
principles, and the two houses for religious wor-
ship, which now stand upon opposite sides of the
common were erected, and the members of the two
societies, who unitedly paid Mr. Judson a salary of
|400 a year, settled the Eev. David A. Grosvenor,
at a salary of |G00, and the Rev. Samuel Clarke, at
a salary of $600; and from that time to the present
both societies have been reasonably prosperous:
and after the first few years following the separa-
tion, with few exceptions, the most kindly feeling
has prevailed between the members of the different
societies. I do not propose to follow the histories
of these two religious societies since the time of
their separation, but knowing as I did both Mr.
Grosvenor and Mr. Clarke, under circumstances
which furnished good opportunities for forming an
impartial judgment, I am free to say, they were
both true and earnest exponents of their different
views of theology; both were men of more than
ordinary talent, good citizens, good friends, and, as
was thoroughly repaired iu 1864, at a cost of about $4,500; and again in 1878,
at a cost of some $4,000.
The house of the Evangelical Congregational Society was built the same
year, 1S33, and dedicated in the autumn. It was repaired some seventeen years
ago and uuich inii>roved.
ADDRESS. 35
it appeared to me, sincere Christians and honest
men.
Rev. Samuel Clarke, the son of Ninian Clarke
of Scotch ancestry, " an extraordinary man, of large
sympathies, a noble spirit and trusted by every
one," was born in New Boston, N. II., April 21st,
1791. He fitted for college w^ith the Rev. Mr. Beede
of Wilton, and was graduated at Dartmouth Col-
lege in the class of 1812. He studied theology
with Dr. Channing, and was ordained at Princeton
in Worcester County, June 18th, 1817. He married
Miss Sarah Wigglesworth, of ISTe^vburyport, Sep-
tember, 1819. On January 9th, 1833, he was
installed over the First Congregational Society in
Uxbridge, and his connection was not severed
during his life. He died in Worcester, Saturday
morning, November 19th, 1859, and was buried at
Uxbridge on Tuesday, November 22d. The ser-
vices at the meeting-house of the First Congrega-
tional Society were as follows: reading of the
Scriptures by Rev. Mr. Ferry; remarks by Rev.
Messrs. Hill of Worcester, Boyden of Woonsocket
and Ball of Upton; and a prayer by Rev. Mr.
Shippen of Worcester. The services were appro-
priate and impressive. The funeral was attended by
a large concourse of people of the various religious
societies. The business of the village was sus-
pended, the stores were closed; and, although the
36 ADDRESS.
day was stormy, the whole community seemed to
wish to pay their last tribute of respect to the
memory of a good man and truly Christian minister.
It was well remarked by one of the company at the
grave, "There lies a man who was more beloved
than any other man in the town of Uxbridge."
When a good man passes away, it is well to
review his life, and learn the true qualities of his
character. The ministry of Mr. Clarke extended
over a period of forty-two years; fifteen of which
were passed in Princeton, and twenty-seven in
Uxbridge. It having been the privilege of the
writer, during a portion of the time, to listen to the
religious exercises of Mr. Clarke from week to week,
to meet him almost daily in the intercourse of life,
to confer with him in scenes of joy and sorrow, to
witness his spirit under circumstances of peculiar
trial and anxiety, he feels at liberty to offer his
grateful tribute to his memory. There existed in
him a beauty and consistency of character rarely
witnessed. He was a true friend. To all who knew
him his presence seemed a benediction. But, in the
familiar intercourse of life, we were often surj^rised
by the gushing out of emotions and sympathies,
which a stranger, who had only witnessed the calm
dignity of his deportment, would scarcely have
expected. A man of rare modesty, great self-
denial, imperturbable good nature, excellent gifts,
ADDRESS. 37
large culture and unflinching fidelity to duty, he
went in and out belbre us during twenty-seven
years; and, eloquent and appropriate as were his
religious exercises, his life was one of the richest
legacies which he bequeathed to win us to a higher
life, by the living power of a pure Christian exam-
ple. Blest during the greater portion of his minis-
terial life with the companionship of a wife of rare
accomplishments, combined with large common sense
and devoted Christian principles, he always found
his home a happy one, where he ever met ready
sympathy, kind Avords, and hearty co-operation, l^o
man in the community fulfilled his duty more fiiith-
fully. The poor, the sick and the unfortunate
always found in him a friend; and his labors in the
cause of education and good order are held in
grateful remembrance. Although he was far from
robust, and exhibited for a number of years
symptoms of declining health, his religious exercises
seemed to increase in excellence from year to year,
and the genuine beauty of his character became more
and more apparent. lie labored faithfully until a
Sunday in the July preceding his death, when, in the
performance of his usual duties, exhausted nature
gave way, and he fell to the floor of his pulpit in a
fainting condition. Feeling that his work was done,
he sent in a letter resigning his ofiSce, and requesting
the Society to accept his resignation, — a request
38 ADDRESS.
which, to their honor, they promptly declined; not
only voting to supply the j^ulpit, but to continue the
salary of Mr. Clarke. From that time, although the
seal of coming death was on his brow, it brought no
terrors and the kindly voice and beaming smile
seemed to speak of a heaven within.
Again he met his church at the communion table,
distributed to them the symbols, and, in language
which those who heard him can never forget, he
commended them to God, committed all to His
hands, and bade them farewell with the hope, that,
if it was God's will, they might meet again this side
of the grave, but be fully prepared for whatever in
God's providence was in store for him. Another
meeting in life was not vouchsafed to them. While
the tones of his parting farewell seemed yet to
linger in our ears, we were startled by the an-
nouncement that the beloved and faithful pastor had
quietly dropped to sleep "like one who wraps the
drapery of his couch about him, and lies down to
pleasant dreams."*
There has long been a society of Friends, or
Quakers, in this town; but their faith has been so
internal and undemonstrative, that there is but little
on an occasion like this to say of them. "We all
know that this denomination of Christians early
♦See Appendix I. for au account of the successors to Rev. Mr. Clarke
and Rev. Mr. Grosvenor.
ADDRESS. 39
adopted firm and decided views upon the great
questions of slavery, intemperance and the i)revail-
ing evils of society; but their style of enforcing
their views has been so quiet and unobtrusive, that
we hardly realize that many of these questions,
which seem to some of us so new, are, to the mem-
bers of this denomination, as old as the plain bonnet
and the -Straight collared coat: and these questions
have been so well considered by them, that their
opinions about them seem to them as natural and
as much a thing of course as the air they breathe.
There is a Baptist society in the north part of the
town, but its history is so modern that I leave it
with the statement of the fact of its existence,
although it would be pleasant to refer to some of its
preachers and to its more prominent and influential
members, among whom was the late Dea. David D.
Payne.*
Within a few years past you have found estab-
lished here a Roman Catholic Church; but of this
you must know so much more than I, that I content
myself with the mere recognition of a circumstance
which would have seemed so strangef twenty years
ago. With these remarks I leave the ecclesiastical
history of the town,J and refer to some other events
in its history.
*Scc Appendix II., Baptist Church. fSee Appondix III., Roman Catholic
Church. JSee Appendix IV., Methodist Episcopal Cliiinh.
40 ADDRESS.
In the month of November, 1789, Gen. George
Washington, then President of the United States,
passed a night in Uxbridge, at a tavern, kej^t, in his
language, by " one Taft." I need not tell you where
what was then the tavern, is now situated,* nor who
occupies it. I need not express the hope that the
building may long be spared as an object of patriot-
ism in trust. From Hartford, General Washington
wrote on the eighth of JSTovember, 1789, on his way
home, the follo^ving letter to "Mr. Taft, near
Uxbridge, Massachusetts " : —
' ' Sir : — Being informed that you have given my name to
one of your sons, and called another after Mrs. AVashington's
family, and being moreover much pleased with the modest
and innocent looks of your two daughters, Patty and Polly,
I do, for these reasons, send each of these girls a piece of
chintz ; and to Patty, who bears the name of j\Irs. A\'ashing-
ton, and who waited upon us more than Polly did, I send
five guineas with ^vhich she may ])uy herself any little orna-
ments she may want, or she may dispose of them in any
other manner more agreeable to herself. As I do not aive
these things with a view to have it talked of, or even to its
being known, the less there is said about the matter, the
better you will please me ; but that I may be sure the chintz
and money have got safe to hand, let Patty, who, I dare say,
is equal to it, vrrite me a line informing me thereof, directed
to ' The President of the United States, New York.' I wish
you and your family well, and am your humble servant."
There is a circumstance, related to me by a ven-
erable clergyman a few weeks since, which may be
interesting to you. General Washington called at
*The house now occupied by Mr. Warner Taft. The daughter Polly, men-
tioned in the letter, married Joseph H. Perry, of Milford.
ADDRESS. 4 1
the house of Col. Ammidown in Meiulon, wliom he
had known in the Kevohitionary Army, l)ut not
finding him at home, passed on his way to Uxljridge.
Soon after he had retired, Col. Annnidown, aceom-
panied by his daughter, arrived, both being very
anxious to see the President. To the surprise of
his attendants, he arose and, attired in his dressing-
gown, had a very pleasant interview with his old
friend and the daughter. At the close of the inter-
view, said the General to Miss Ammidown, "Allow
me to ask you one question; you have come a good
ways to see an old man, how far would you have
gone to see a young one?"
Col. Samuel Cragin was a soldier in the old
French war, was present at the capture of Quebec,
and was a captain in the war of the Kevolution.
He once kept a hotel in the house now occupied by
Mr. Charles E. Seagrave, and afterwards in the
large gambrel-roofed house, known as the John
Capron house. This house was built by Col. Seth
Reed, who once owaied the most of the real estate in
this village. The oft-asserted claim of Reed Par-
sons to a title in the common had its origin in some
■way connected with the ownership of Col. Seth Reed.
The first store in Uxbridge was kept by George
Southwick in the south part of the town; and the
second, by a Mr. Russell in a building opposite to
what was formerly known as the John Seagrave
42
ADDRESS.
place, and was afterwards owned and occupied by
Daniel Seagrave. As an illustration of the change
in the places, and modes of doing business in this
town, permit me to refer you to one spot, about
which but few young people know anything. On the
old road to Slatersville, you may observe a cluster
of wood-colored buildings of small dimensions that
now bear the marks of neglect, and you may wonder
what should have caused them to be erected. The
truth is, this comparatively deserted spot was once
among the most active and business-like localities
of Uxbridge. Here Esek Fitts carried on the busi-
ness of manufacturing hats, with numerous journey-
men and apprentices; Royal Southwick, tanning
and currying; Enoch Aldrich, coopering; Parley
Brown and Mason Buffington, shoe-making; and
here George Southwick did the most extensive
business in the store-keeping line which in those
days was carried on in this section of the county,
and manufactured large quantities of potash which
he exported to England, besides keeping a circulating
library for the neighborhood. The change in the
lines of travel and the use of rivers for manufac-
turing purposes, changed the places of trade and
of business, and grass now grows where once
everything was alive with the bustle of trade and
industry. Allow me in this connection to relate an
incident somewhat characteristic of the times. A
ADDKESS. 13
person known as " OUT Croncy," lind i)ai(l :i Mil to
George Soiithwick, and after he had airivcd at liis
home, he found, or there was shown to him upon
the bill, a large number of " dittoes." lie told
Dr. Samuel Willard, who was rather fond of fun,
that he had had no dittoes, and the Doctor told him
he had better go back and have the bill corrected.
Croney called upon George Southwick and stated
his grievance. Said George, " Who sent you here?"
Said Croney, " Dr. Willard." " Well," said George,
" you tell Dr. Sam. Willard that he is a d n fool
and you are a ditto ! "
The first distillery in town was established by
Col. Daniel Tillinghast, upon what has recently been
known as the Royal Thayer place. He manufac-
tured malt in the building on the corner of the old
road, which was afterwards converted into a resi-
dence by Mr. John Seagrave. The second distillery
was owned by Thaddeus Taft, and was located
upon what is now the farm of Mr. John S. Taft.
They manufactured gin and cider brandy. In the
year 1820, the remains of the distillery of Col.
Tillinghast were visible upon the Royal Thayer
place, and the pipes showed a form of construction
which gave the observer a very distinct idea of the
worm of a still.
The first Postmaster in Uxbridge was Dr. Sam-
uel Willard. The first post-office was kept at
44 ADDRERS.
N^orth Uxhridge by Capt. Samuel Read, the Deputy-
Postmaster. All the travel from Boston to Hart-
ford and back, passing through this town, passed
through the northern part, at the time of the estab-
lishment of the post-office.
Here it may be proper to say, that there is one
j)eculiarity of this town that must be considered un-
fortunate. It has always seemed to me to have
more south-west to it, than any other town of its
size with which I am acquainted. This is probably
owing to the fact that Korthbridge was originally
part of its territory. At au}^ rate, the fact is a
notable one to any person who is either acquainted
with its geography, or has had occasion to look up
a client who was reported to reside in the south-Avest
part of the town. I well remember the remark of
one of your citizens at the time of the dispute about
the Rhode Island boundary line, which was, that
he hoped the line would be removed because it
ran so near his house that he thought it was de-
moralizing. I do not know that I should assent to
this proposition, but I do think, that the nearer to
the line of a border town you can bring its educa-
tional, moral and religious institutions, the better it
will be for the moral, educational and religious wel-
fare of the immediate neighborhood.
The mail from Boston to Hartford, sixty years
ago, was carried weekly to and from Boston in a
\
ADDUESS. '{')
one-horse gig, by a man of the name of Steclo. At
that time, there was no mail from Providence to
Woi-cester. It is said that the first ride throiigli the
Bhickstonc valley was made by AVilliam lilatkstone
on the back of a bull. Professor Gnmmell has
playfully remarked, that this was the origin of the
term, " Bullgine." Sometime between fifty luul
sixty years ago, the first mail from Providence to
"Worcester was carried by Abner Cooper, who
resided in Northbridge. lie used to go to Provi-
dence on one day, return to Northbridge on the
second day, go to Worcester and retui'n to his home
in iS^orthbridge on the third day. lie traveled at
first on horseback, next in a one-horse gig, and
finally in a two-horse vehicle, and carried passen-
gers, who nscd frequently to stop at his house over
night. It is said that he carried his oats with him,
and stopped by the roadside to feed his horses.
It is to be feared that Kew England passengers of
the pi-esent day might be somewhat impatient with
this kind of locomotion.
The first stage upon this route was established by
one Henry Richardson in 1812. He drove through
from Providence to Worcester in one day, and back
the next. Although he succeeded in depriving Mr.
Cooper of his passengers, he failed in his enterprise.
Mr. Cooper continued to carry the mail until
another line of stages was established, when the
46 ADDRESS.
stages proved too strong for him, and he retired
from the field. It would be pleasant to recall the
times when staging was at its full tide through
Uxbridge, when such men as John Bradlee held the
ribbons, before the time when the railroads had
ruined the business; to tell of the social scenes of a
long day's ride with the pleasantest people in the
world, of the handsomest women and the jolliest
men; to describe how Luther Spring used to wel-
come the drivers, and mix the toddy, and get up a
dinner which was a dinner; and how the drivers
would blow their bugle blasts, and come dashing up
to the door as though the whole rebel army was in
hot pursuit; but there is no time on this occasion to
indulge in any such luxury, and we must hasten to
speak of other subjects.
I shall say nothing of the later members of the
legal profession in this town; but I feel at liberty to
say, that the town was fortunate in the character of
the lawyers who early settled here. The members
of the profession who have practiced here, so far as
I can learn, have been ]!!^athan Tyler, Benjamin
Adams, Bezaleel Taft, Jr., George Wheaton,
Joseph Thayer, Francis Deane, Henry Chapin,
Lucius B. Boynton, George S. Taft, and George
W. Hobbs.* A lawyer of average ability in a
*Wo add to tlip :il)ovc list, Frederic B. Deane and Judge A. A. rutnani.
Francis Deane and liis son, Frederic B. Deane, now reside in Worcester.
ADDICESS. 47
country town, can do much for llie good or evil, the
credit or disgrace, of his home. He may do much
toward producing a spirit of i)eace, or a s[)irit of
strife in the connnunity. I have sometimes thouglit
he might do more evil than the preacher coukl do
good, or he might be one of the most elfieient aids
to the spiritual teachers of society. His peculiar
relations to the business interests of the people, give
him an insight into the hearts and motives of men,
which are often hidden from the view of other per-
sons. To use a plain illustration, the preacher sees
his people in a sort of Sunday, church-going garb,
while the lawyer sees them in their every-day
clothes, and reads the hearts when unveiled by any
shadow of hypocrisy. Such being the case, the
minister is not the only man whose settlement in a
town is a matter of transcendent importance,
because the lawyer may have full as much to do
with its character and prosperity as the minister.
Nathan Tyler, the first lawyer in Uxbridge,
was a colonel in the revolutionary army. Mr. Tyler
lived in the house occupied by Mr. Wheeler and
known as the Esq. Frederic Taft place. Of Mr.
Tyler there is but little known. His name appears
occasionally upon the records of the town. He was
probably not only the first lawyer in Uxbridge, but
the first lawyer in the south part of the county.
Althouo-h from what can be learned of him, I have
48 ADDRESS.
no doubt he was a man of good standing in the
community, I infer he never came to be very prom-
inent as a lawyer, from the fact, that the former
Governor Lincohi once informed an elderly lawyer
of my acquaintance, that at one time the whole
section between himself at Worcester and Judge
Wheaton at Norton, was filled by Seth Hastings. •
Mr. Tyler was succeeded by Benjamin Adams.
Mr. Adams was born in Mendon, December 16, 1764:.
He was graduated at Brown University, studied law
in Uxbridge, in the office of Col. Nathan Tyler,
practiced law one year in Hopkinton, Middlesex
county, and upon the death of Mr. Tyler, succeeded
to his office and his business in this town. Mr.
Adams was too young to enter the army of the rev-
olution, but his father and his brothers were all
soldiers, and when he was but sixteen years old,
he mowed six Aveeks, cutting all the grass upon his
father's place, while the women of the family made
the hay. He was a member of Congress from
Worcester south from 1815 to 1823. He was
defeated by Jonathan Russell by reason of a speech
of Mr. Adams in favor of the protection of American
manufactures, Daniel Webster and the commercial
interests of Boston having taken the field against
him on account of his sentiments and vote in favor
of the protection of American industry. How
strange, that forty years ago, a man should have
ADDRESS. 4!>
been sacrificed politically on acconnt of views and
opinions, which time seems to have taken ])leasui-u
in demonstrating- was the trne policy for New
England. It reminds one of the splendid old hymn
ui:>on the martyrs:
" Flung to the heedless winds,
Or on the waters cast,
Their ashes shall l)c watched
And oathcred at the last."
Mr. Adams was a man of peculiarly even tempera-
ment, embodying in himself the idea of a pure mind-
ed man, an honest lawyer and a christian gentleman.
He seemed from principle, to endeavor to make him-
self a useful man in the community. He never
spoke unless he had something to say, and he al-
ways left off when he had said it. He was perfectly
contented with whatever disposition was made of
him by his fellow-citizens, and he wished to pros-
per, if at all, with them. Possessed of an ample
fortune for the time in which he lived, at an
unfortunate moment, he was induced to engage in
manufacturing, and he shared the fate of many pro-
fessional men who venture out of their sphere.
The hurricane wdiich swept over the manufacturing
business of New England involved him in pecuniary ,
ruin, but his integrity was left untarnished, and
from the year 1828, to the time of his death, he
passed a quiet life, going to his grave respected by
50 ADDRESS.
all. His memory is yet green in the hearts of those
who knew him, and his name is a household word
of respect and reverence in the valley of the Black-
stone. His simple epitaph is this, " Mark the per-
fect man and behold the upright, for the end of that
man is peace."
George Wheaton was originally from Bristol
county. He married in Uxbridge, and after prac-
ticing law here a few years, returned to Bristol
county and died there. He was a man of fair
abilities, and gentlemanly deportment. His health,
after he entered his profession, was never very firm
and he died early. His legal business was not ex-
tensive. Those who knew him, speak of him with
kindness and regard. My own impression is, that
his tastes were more literary than legal, and that he
lacked those masculine qualities which fit a man for
the rough-and-tumble of the profession of the law.
An article in one of the Worcester newspapers
contains certain views relating to Hon. Bezaleel
Taft, senior, formerly, and for many years, a magis-
trate of this town, to Hon. Bezaleel Taft, Jr. and
to George S. Taft, Esq., the last two having been
lawyers here, which express my views so nearly
*■ that I take the liberty to adopt them as my own.
"Hon. Bezaleel Taft, senior, was born in 1750 and died
in 1839, in his 89tli year. For many years he was one of
the leading men in the south part of Worcester County, and
ADDRESS. 51
the tokens of the con(i<lencc of his Uillow-cilizens, \vh"ne
they imposed iijion him the hurdons of Hfc, streMLrthciicd
him for their faithful fuHillimMit. Ih; was for two years a
meinher of the State Senate, and for some thirty years a
member of tlie Ilonse of lt(!i)resentativ(^s from Uxi)rid<^e.
He was a strong and deeided Federalist and never swerved
from his politieal faith.
Firm, compart, honest, diiinilied and ahle, he went
through life fullilling its various (hities with rare lid(dily
and conscientiousness ; and left to his family and to all who
knew him, a character which is always referred to with
reverent pride and pleasure. He became a larue landholder
in his native town, and the old homestead is yet in the hands
of his descendants. The stately elms which shelter the
home of the patriarch, built of timber hewn by his own
hands, and tirm as the hills around, are emblematic of the
man whose memory is embalmed in the hearts of his friends
and kindred. The ])rief and appro})riate inscription ui)on
his tombstone reads thus : "His hfe was a bright example of
private and pul)lic worth, and the hoary head was to him a
crown of glory, Ijeing found in the way of righteousness."
"Hon. Bezaleel Taft, Jr., was born in 1780, and died in
184G, in his 6()th year. He Avas a gentleman of })olished
manners, excellent culture and high standing in his profes-
sion. He was graduated at Cambridge, in the year 1805, and
after being admitted to the bar, established himself as a
lawyer in his native town. He ahvays resided in Ux))ridge,
and enjoyed largely the confidence of his fellow-citizens.
He was twice elected a member of the State Senate, twice a
member of the Executive Council, and for a number of
years a representative to the jNIassachusetts Legislature.
He was very active in the esta))lishment of the State Lunatic
Hospital at Worcester, and always referred with nmch
pleasure to the part which he had taken in its origin and
success. He was the second president of the 151ackstone
Bank, and held the oifice at the time of his d(!ath. He was
a man of genial humor, rare hospitality, enlightened public
spirit and unbending integrity. His name and character are
held in grateful remembrance hy those who knew him best,
and his children and his children's children still clierish them
as a priceless legacy.
52
ADDRESS.
And now the third in the line has fallen at the age of
thirty-three years, almost at the commencement of his
business hfe. Graduating in 1848, he pursued liis legal
studies in the office of Henry Chapin, in Worcester, until
June, 1851, when he was admitted to the l)ar of this county.
Attracted by strong feelings of affection for his kindred and
home, he could not l)ring his mind to think of settling in
any other place than Uxl)ridge, and he accordingly opened
an office in that town during the same year. His life has
been a happy one. Surrounded liy those whom he loved,
doing a respecta))le business, the idol of his friends, and the
general favorite of every circle, he had liecome one for
whom a whole community Avill mourn. Not sul)jected to
the pressure which compels some young men to l)ecome able
and acute lawyers, he had not risen to that heiglit in his
profession which his talents might have commanded ; l)ut as
the years rolled on the responsiljilities of his position
seemed to become more and more real to him, and high
hopes were entertained of such a success as should do full
justice to the powers which we all felt that he possessed.
But such was not the order of Providence. Smitten by a
fatal and insidious disease at a time when he seemed to be
in the full glow of health and hope, he lingered a few
months among us, happy, genial, loving and beloved, and
then without a murmur or a pain went the way of his
fathers, and the places that have known him will know him
no more.* C."
Of those now living it would be inappropriate,
however desirable, to make any remarks at this
time. I leave it to later days and other tongues to
do them justice.f
The first physician in Uxbridge, to whom I have
occasion to refer, was a Dr. Wood, who occupied a
house standing formerly upon the old cellar situated
* George Spring Taft was born December 26th, 182G. and died February 2d,
1860.
tFor a notice of Joseph Thayer, Esq., written by Mr. Chapin, see Appen-
dix V.
ADDRESS. r>;i
near tlie road, northerly from tlie .s])ot wlierc the
boat liouse formerly stood. After he had hceii in
Uxbridf]^e a number of years, Dr. Samuel AVillard
came here from Mendon and began the i)ractice of
medicine. After Dr. Willard had practiced in
Uxbridge awhile, on a dark and stormy night he
was called upon to visit a patient in a remote part
of the toAvn, or in the edge of Burrillville. Dr.
Willard started on horseback, with the caller behind
him, and after proceeding a consideraljlc distance
he found he was riding alone, and soon crossed a
stream which was swollen by a freshet. The next
morning Dr. Willard found that the covering of a
bridge had been taken or carried away, and that his
horse had crossed upon one of the string-pieces of
the bridge with the Doctor upon his back. Soon
after this Dr. Wood suddenly disappeared from
Uxbridge; and some persons were uncharitable
enough to suppose that he was the means of the
call which was made upon his young competitor.
Dr. Samuel Willard was born in 1748, and died
September 11th, 1811, aged sixty-three years, in the
house now occupied by Joseph Day. He was an
eminent physician, a man of strong feelings and
of much intellectual acumen. He did a very lai-ge
and lucrative business in his profession, and
accumulated considerable property and extensive
possessions of real estate. He was a Tor}- in
54 ADDRESS.
the days of the revolution, but escaped the
penalties of that oiFence, and spent here his busy
life, retaining to the last that quaintness of thought,
that positiveness of statement, that keenness of
satire, and that wit and humor, which marked
him in the early days of his professional life.
For twenty years, or more, he had in charge a
large number of insane persons, and was supposed
to possess peculiar skill in their management and
medical treatment. In this way he was instrumen-
tal in bringing much ready money into Uxbridge.
The old school-house which stood upon the hill, he
used as a sort of insane hospital, and the small
building which formerly stood where the shuttle
shop is situated, was a kind of water-cure estab-
lishment, where some of the unruly ones used to
suffer the wet pains and penalties of their miscon-
duct. One of your citizens has described to me a
novel bath which Dr. Willard used in managing
his insane patients. He used to put them in a box
made full of holes, the head of the patient pro-
truding above the box. The box was then placed
in the water. He said to one of his patients,
"Come, be a good Democrat and all will come
right." Said the patient, " I have done every-
thing bad, almost even to murder, but I never
did so bad a thing as to be a Democrat." Two
of these patients, named Hancock and Ayers,
ADDRESS. 55
whose forms and features are fresh in the memory
of many of the present generation, Iji'longed to
families of wealth and standing in Boston. They
met each other at dinner on their way to Uxbridge
in charge of their friends respectively, and they
both remained together in the care of dilleient
persons during a period of more than forty years.
The famous Hancock house in Boston was the home
of the patient of that name, whose courtly manners
and stately form showed the wreck of one who
should have been a worthy descendant of the
patriot of revolutionary memory. If you will
excuse one more epitaph, I will relieve you from
any more graveyard literature after reading the
following, copied from the tombstone of Dr. Samuel
Willard:
"For worth departed, tears of sorrow flow ;
Science and friciulship mourn in silent woe :
In each pursuit to honor's precept true,
He claims this tribute as in justice due.
Genius and truth acknowledge him their own,
Which in their sphere a constellation shone.
Reader attend, and emulate his plan,
Be what he was, a strictly honest man."
Let me now speak of two other physicians who
here practiced their profession, though both of them
subsequently removed from the town.
Dr. Augustus C Taft was the son of Dea.
Chandler Taft. He practiced successfully in his
56 ADDRESS.
profession in Upton and afterwards moved to
Uxbridge and practiced in this town for awhile.
From Uxbridge he moved to Boston, and from
there to Framingham, where he died early. After
leaving Uxbridge, he devoted himself to other
pursuits. Dr. Taft was a man of fair abilities, great
kindness of heart, with a fund of bright, sparkling
humor, which made him a general favorite. I am
not aware that he ever injured the feelings of any
one, or left an enemy behind him. He married a
daughter of the Rev. E. T. Taylor, of the Seamen's
Bethel at Boston, who still survives her husband.
The tragic death of a beautiful daughter, by an
accident at the railroad crossing near her father's
residence in Framingham, is still fresh in the minds
of those whose sympathies were so deeply moved
for the grief-stricken parents.
Of Dr. Smith it is impossible to speak in too
commendatory terms. He was in Uxbridge a few
months only, and then settled in Sutton, Avhere he
remained durmg the most of his professional life,
although he spent his last few years in Providence,
where he died. He was a remarkable man.
Belonging to a family eminent in the medical pro-
fession, he achieved, in a quiet farming town in the
County of Worcester, a reputation which any one
might envy. Called in every direction for consul-
tation and medical advice, he sustained a position
ADDRESS. 57
in the confidence of the people rarely equalled in
this vicinity. His splendid form, his niagnilicent
head, his modesty of deportment and his clcaniess
of intellect combined to make him a sort (d" idol
among those who had the good fortune to secure
his services. He loved his fi'iends, but he did not
love indiscriminately. As an instance of his local
attachments, it is related of him that upon his
return from Providence on his first visit to Sutton,
he was met upon the common with tears coursing
down his cheeks and in explanation of the circum-
stance said, " Wliy, it looks like IS'ew Jerusalem."
It used to be said of him that he was rather
uncertain about answering calls, although he was
quite attentive to the cases of his old friends. A
lady, whose mother was sick sent for the doctor,
and he did not appear under two or three days.
The mother was one of his early friends. Upon
his arrival, the daughter met him at the door with
the exclamation, " Doctor, why didn't you come and
see mother sooner V " Said he, " I thought it was
you who was sick; if I had known it was your
mother, I should have been here before," blunting
the edge of his remark with one of those conta-
gious bursts of laughter, which were absolutely
irresistible.*
* See Appendix VI., for a notice of James Watson Bobbins, M. D. The other
physicians of the town are Alonzo W. Bennett, Chaiincy A. Wih-ox anil J. M.
Macomber. For a notice of Dr. Macomber, sec Appendix VII.
8
58 ADDRESS.
John Capron, whose name has been continually
connected with the history of Uxbriclge, was born
in Cumberland, R. I., July 28th, 1757, and died
July 11th, 1834. He became a citizen of Uxbridge
about the year 1792, and purchased property, which
with the additions afterwards made to it, has since
been known as the Capron estate. He was the
first President of the Blackstone Bank, and Avas
Town Clerk of Uxbridge from 1804 to 1821. He
was a plain, blunt man of consistent character,
sturdy honesty, solid material and no veneering.
It has been said of him, that after vainly endeavor-
ing to decline a re-election to the office of Town
Clerk, at a time when that officer was in the habit
of orally publishing the intentions of marriage,
he quietly made the proclamation on the next
Sunday after the town meeting at which he was
re-elected, that " I, John Capron, intend marriage,"
adding whatever more was necessary according to
the custom of that day. Almost his first entry as
Town Clerk was, "voted that swine run at large
being yoked and ringed, according to law." At
May meeting, 1804, after recording that Bezaleel
Taft was chosen representative, he adds, " K. B.
A considerable number of votes were given for
Benjamin Adams, Esq., for representative, the
precise number I forgit." At May meeting, 1808,
he writes, "met according to the foregoing warrant.
ADDKESS. 59
and gave in their votes as follows: — for Mv. Petor
Farnum 101, Hon. Bezaleel Taft, Esq., 89, for the
Hon. Benjamin Adams, Esq., 1. Of eourse Far-
nmn was chosen and accepted tlie choice, and
retnrned his thanks to the meeting."
Daniel Day was born in Mendon at the Kempton
place, and died Oct. 23, 1848, aged 81 years. He
was a man of great industry and energy. He ]) in-
chased a large farm in Uxbridge and can-ied it on
with eminent success. He was engaged in trade for
a number of years. His store was formerly situated
opposite the house of Captain Otis Wilcox, and
afterwards in the village. He was a man of large
information, strong mind and retentive memory, and
although he had but six weeks schooling in his life,
he was one of the most thorough and careful readers
in town. He was the first person in Uxbridge to
make woolen goods by machinery, and was the
second person to manufacture them in this country.
He acquired a respectable amount of property, and
has left descendants who carry in their marked
quahties of mind and character, the traits of an an-
cestor whom they will learn to respect the more,
the more they reflect upon the qualities which won
for him the 'estimation in wliieh he was held by the
men of his day and generation.
Joseph Richardson was born in Burrillville, R. T.,
and spent the larger portion of his life on tlio farm
60 ADDRESS.
now occupied by Caleb and William B. Richardson.
He was the first democrat elected from this town to
the Legislature. He was a large farmer and prob-
ably acquired more property by farming than any
other person in this vicinity. He was always present
in the town meetings, and always listened to with
marked interest and attention, and often had pitch-
ed political battles with his brother-in-law, Bezaleel
Taft, senior, who was a Federalist of the deepest
dye. Mr. Richardson was a man of much modesty
of feeling and demeanor, and repeatedly refused to
accept the office of Justice of the Peace. The
office at that day was free of charge, but at the
present day, most men are happy to pay the sum of
five dollars which is charged for it. He was an out-
and-out Universalist from the deepest conviction,
and made much exertion to attend the meetings
of that denomination. He was a man of such sim-
ple habits of thrift and industry, that he probably
never spent an hour in a store or hotel, Avhen he
was not engaged there in business. He possessed
a wonderful faculty for the accumulation of prop-
erty, and whatever he touched may be almost said
to have turned to gold. I close my remarks upon
him with one simple illustration. As he showed to
a neighbor his various notes and mortgages, the
neighbor inquired, " How under the heavens did
you come by so much property? " " Ah! " said he.
ADDRESS. Ill
" any fool can make money, l)iit it lakes a wise
man to keep it!'' lie ha8 gone, l)ut liis mantle may
be floating over some of his kith and kin.
In this connection, allow me to rel'er to onv or
two men of a very diilerent style of character.
Wlio has not heard of Simeon Kichardson, son of
the gentleman of whom I have jnst spoken ? Im-
agine to yonrselves a genial, 1)ui'ly-looking man,
weighing between two and three hnndred i)onnds,
who with all his good qnalities, had a large infnsion
of those of a more qnestionablc character; who
threatened to set fire to his father's honsc if he
would not alter his will; who applied the nose of a
simple minded neighbor to a grindstone until lie
would say, "Blessed be Simeon;" who said, that
he thought he never really loved his wife until he
had taken so much comfort sleeping with a i)air of
twins, one on each arm; who threatened one of the
most respectable magistrates in Uxbridge, that if he
could catch him in the state of Rhode Island he
would boot him within an inch of his life; who was
romping, rollicking, genial, profane, witty and clever
by turns ; whose heart, in spite of his errors, often
overflowed with generosity and kindness, and who
left upon one the impression of an unhewn, or
more properly speaking, of a rough-hewn, diamond;
and you have a tolerably coi-rect idea of Simeon
Kichardson.
62
ADDRESS.
Who has not heard of Ananias Gifford, the
sprightly Httle brickmaker of the valley ? Who
that ever met him has forgotten his friendly greet-
ing ? And who, to whom he chanced ever to be-
come indebted, will not recognize his stereotyped
jocularity, "Oh! yes; all easy, cousin, my name is
Ananias; and wait "?
It would be pleasant to me to speak at length of
many of the former people of Uxbridge — of Jona-
than Whipple, who was the soul of hospitality and
good cheer, the pride of whose life was, that no
man could say that he was not an honest man;* of
Samuel Read, who possessed the elements of per-
manent popularity; of Ephraim Spring, whose
sneeze was said to have been heard in a clear morn-
ing from ^orth Uxbridge to Lumpbottom; of
Alpheus Baylies, once so active and enterprising;
of Frederic Taft, the unsurpassed land-surveyor
of the town, from time immemorial; of Eastman
Taft, the dream of whose life was to be elected
representative from the town, and whose experience
uniformly was to be defeated; of Jerry Wheelock,
so thoroughly informed, and yet always so modest
and unassuming; of Amariah Chapin, so smooth
and gentlemanly and so kindly of speech; of
Jonathan Gregory, the first cashier of Blackstone
Bank; of Abicl Jaques, the bhmt, outspoken
* See Appendix VIII., Jonathan Whipple.
A DDK ESS. 63
preceptor of Uxbridge Academy; of Di-. George
Willard, wliose acconiniodating natui-e rarely
allowed him to contradict one; of De;i. Daniel D.
Payne, who, among his many decided opinions,
beheved that it was a misfortune for a girl wlio had
been in the habit of earning large wages to marry
a man of small means, because she would be likely
to have contracted extravagant habits; of Adol-
phus Spring, with a temper so even and a character
so pure; of Daniel Carpenter, the puritanical lib-
eral, the Unitarian worshipper with Trinitarian pro-
clivities; of Cato Willard, one of nature's noble-
men in spite of the color of his skin; of Daniel
Farnum, who with all his wealth and shrewdness,
loved to pitch coppers with the boys at a coi)per a
game; of Peter White and Peter Freeman, each of
them every, inch a man; of the families of Taft,
Thayer, Spring, Seagrave, "Wood, Farnum, Thomp-
son, Williams and others, some of which seemed
almost to rival in number the descendants of the
father of the faithful ; of glorious women, past and
present, to describe whom successfully, would need
a pen of sapphire dipped in a sunbeam; but time
would fail me, if I should make the attempt. One
thing, however, I will say in this connection, that
no town of the size and population of Uxbridge,
has been more successful in bringing up a large
number of active and energetic Ijusiness men than
64 ADDRESS.
this. Without referring to the business citizens of
to-day, let me say, that the town which has within a
given period, sent out such men Us Stephen C.
Greene; Josiah, Koyal and Amory Chapin; Jacob,
Josiah, Edward and George W. Seagrave; John,
Paul, Peter, Moses, "Welcome and Darius D. Far-
num; Sylvanus Holbrook; Effingham L. Capron;
Asa JN^ewell; Joseph Carpenter; Daniel Day;
Eoyal C. Taft; David F. Wood; George T. Mur-
dock; Stephen and Jason Emerson, and others;
need never be ashamed of its record in this respect;
while other towns may well look for the cause
which has produced so remarkable a result.
Before proceeding to consider this, let me say, that
among the objects of interest to the people is grow-
ing shade-trees. I have learned to make an estimate
of the public spirit of a village, or neighborhood,
by the simple test of the presence, or absence, of
trees of this kind. In one of Scott's novels,
entitled, " The Heart of Mid-Lothian," Dumbie-
dikes is represented as saying, "Jock, when ye
hae nothing else to do, ye may aye be sticking in a
tree ; it will be growing, Jock, when ye're sleeping."
When you look upon the beautiful trees which
adorn your common, it may be pleasant to recall
something of their history. Early in the present
century, when the blacksmith's shop of Elihu
Brown stood upon the spot now occupied by the
ADDRESS. (;/)
Acadcm}^ building*,* directly in front of it stood a
large oak tree, which having become somewhat
decayed, was blown down in a gale of wind. The
two horse chestnut trees that stand near the
Academy building were set out by my classmate
and friend, Mr. Charles C. Jewett, the accomplished
librarian of the Boston Public Library. The fact
that he placed them where they now stand, has
probably long since passed from his mind; but
there they stand to dispense their beauty, fragrance
and shade, comforting and blessing those who will
never know to whom they are indebted for the
pleasure. The rest of the trees upon the common,
with the exception of one or two more ancient ones,
and some that have been set to replace others which
have died, were provided in accordance with a
subscription which was made not far from twenty
years ago. "Who that now looks upon them would
suppose that some persons not only refused to aid
in the enterprise, but actually threatened to cut
them down. Yet such things are true, and it is a
fact well known to some persons, that if after those
trees had been set out, they had been willfully
injured, the aggressor, if discovered, would have
learned the penalty which the law imposes for
willful and malicious injury to shade-trees. No
money or labor was ever better invested than tliis.
* See Appendix IX,, Elihu Brown.
on ADDRESS.
They stand here to-day, as far as they go, the
silent mementoes of a true public spirit; and for a
common, not large enough to bear the seeming
constraint and confinement of a fence, they combine
utility and grace, and will long be looked upon as
one of the crowning beauties of this village; and
although it is true that our railroads, as they are
constructed, often impress one with the idea of the
barbarism of civilization, yet if each land-owner
would line them with shade trees, at reasonable
distances on each side of the track, these very em-
bankments, which extend like artificial deserts
through so many homesteads in the land, might be
made " a thing of beauty and a joy forever."
We come now to consider a new feature in the
history of this town.
The i^opulation of Uxbridge in 1790, was 1,310;
in 1800, it was 1,404; and in 1810, the same. In
twenty years, the increase of population had been
but ninety-four, and all the increase had been in
the first half of the twenty years. If no additional
element of industry had been brought into use, I
see no reason why the increase in population, be-
tween 1800 and 1860, should have exceeded the in-
crease between 1800 and 1810, which is represent-
ed by a cipher; for this has been the experience of
some of the towns where the only business has been
fixrming.
ADDKESS. G7
In one of the stories in an interesting little hook,
entitled, " John Hopkins' notions on Political
Economy," John is represented as heing- located on
a lonely island and getting rather a poor living hy
the labor of his o\vn hands. During one of his
jonrneys over the ishind, he discovers a huge giant,
and manages by his superior intelligence to make
the giant quite nseful. He mounted the giant's
back, made liim carry him home, transjxjrt his
burdens, draw his wood, logs and various other com-
modities about the island and thus relieve John from
much of the drudgery of his life. He then made
the giant grind his corn, saw his wood and lum-
ber, and manufacture cloth, until at last this giant,
who had been lazily basking in the sun, or running
uselessly about from the time of his creation, by
means of the skill and ingenuity of John Hopkins,
became the comfort and civilizer of the island; and
by prudent management, became so safe and tract-
able, that while he had the strength of a thousand
horses, even a child could lead him whithersoever
he would, and ride upon his back with an impunity
wonderful to look upon. The name of this giant
was aquce fluentes, which in plain English means
running streams, or floAving waters. The giant of
John Hopkins is a thing of everyday life, and in
this favored valley, the giants arc all around us.
They vary somewhat in size and power, but have
68 ADDRESS.
become more or less beneficent and useful to the
community, and have added much to its wealth,
industries and population.
The only streams to which I purpose to call your
attention are. West River, Blackstone Eiver, Mum-
ford River, Ironstone River, the Rivulet and
Shuttle Brook.
West River has its origin in the town of Upton,
and although it runs through the easterly part of
Uxbridge, it takes the name of West River from the
fact that Mill River seems to monopolize the eastern
part of the town where West River has its rise.
ISTear the head of one of its branches in Upton, is
what is known as Pratt's pond, and although it
once had the reputation that many of the 'New
England ponds formerly possessed, of being bot-
tomless, it does not now look quite as unfathomable
as formerly. It is one of the hard lessons taught
by the experiences of life to have the poetry attach-
ing itself to the scenes of one's childhood all
knocked out of him, and to find the visions that
once filled his boyish soul, all dwarfed and
contracted; but every boy of any imagination has
been obliged to learn the disagreeable lesson.
Starting down this stream, small as it is, we find
the giant has been at work, and as time has rolled
on, his work has become more and more important.
It is true, that the old fashioned saw mills have m
ADDRESS. 69
some places disappeared a.s the result of the elcar-
iiig off of the logs and timber, formerly so al>un-
dant; but the grist-mills still remain to grind the
grain which has taken the place of the primeyal
forest, and box-work, sash-work and various kinds
of lighter and richer labor mark the progress of
civilization and the improvement in the machinery
of our time. Still the giant stands ready, to the
extent of his power, to carry into full effect the
various inventions to which the active intellect of
man has made him subservient.
The first attempt to manufocture woolen goods
by machinery in this country, was made at Water-
town in the spring of the year 1811. .In the
autumn of the same year the next attempt was
made by Daniel Day. He erected a small building
upon a brook which may be called a part of West
Kiver, upon the spot now occupied by the mill of
Samuel W. Scott. A part of it was used by Mr.
Wheelock for turning bobbins, and the other pait
of it was occupied by Mr. Day, with a billy, a
jenny with thirty spindles, and a carding machine.
He sent to W^atertown and procured an English-
man to wo4-k for him. In the spring of 1812, Mr.
Orsmus Taft^ went into this mill to woi'k and is
supposed to be the first yankee who learned to
*For a notice of Orsmus Taft, sec Appendix X.
70
ADDRESS.
weave satinet in this country. Everything, except
the picking and carding, was then done by hand.
'No looms were run by water in Uxbridge until a
number of years after this time. It seems to me
eminently becoming, when giving this brief sketch
of this town, that we should not forget the man
who had the foresight and the courage to com-
mence here the manufacture of woolen o^oods, nor
the humble river which was considered worthy of
running the first card and the first picker in this
neighborhood. There may be larger rivers than
West River, and there may have been better pickers
and cards than those which were run by Daniel Day;
but I doubt not that you will agree with me that
none are more entitled than these to our generous
and candid notice.
The next privilege above, upon West River, now
occupied by Messrs. C. A. and S. M. Wheelock,
was afterwards, about the year 1828, taken up and
occupied by Luke Taft and George Wall, both re-
cently deceased. The praise of both these men is
upon the li23S of all who knew them, and their mem-
ories are fresh and fragrant to those who loved
them. The time may not have come to say all we
should love to say of these men, but whoever shall
have occasion to speak of their lives in detail, will
have a large margin of what is truthful, honest and
of good report to pass to their credit.
ADDRESS. 71
After leaving West River we come to Black-
stone Kiver, which, in the days when people used to
meet to arrange about letting the fish run up stream,
went by the name of " y*' Great River." I su})p()Ke
this name was given to it, from the fact tliat this
river becomes the receptacle of all the other streams
referred to, and conducts their waters to the great
ocean that absorbs them all.
The most northerly source of the Blackstonc, or
Great River, is North Pond, in Worcester. From
this pond flows a small but beautiful stream called
Mill Brook. Its main branch originates in Paxton ;
thence it passes through the easterly part of Leices-
ter and entering the south-western part of Worces-
ter, passes into Auburn, where it is called Kettle
Brook. There it receives the waters of Ramshorn
Pond from Sutton, then again appearing in Wor-
cester, it unites with Tatnuck, or Half-way River
from Holden. After uniting with Mill Brook, it
passes through Millbury, Sutton and Grafton,
where it receives the Quinsigamond River from
Quinsigamond Lake, or Long Pond, situated in the
eastern part of Worcester, and passing through
Northbridge, XJxbridge and Blackstone, it enters the
State of Rhode Island. Says a writer in the year
1826, " The Blackstone is one of the most import-
ant rivers of the county. This noble stream washes
some of the most flourishing and opulent districts of
72 ADDRESS.
the county." He speaks of the traveler as clcHghted
by the hum of a continued series of manufacturing
estabHshments, furnishing employment for a vast
amount of capital and subsistence to an enterpris-
ing, intelligent and thriving population. This state-
ment must strike one as rather poetical when he re-
members it was made in 182G, Avhen "Worcester,
now numbering over 30,000 souls, by the then last
census numbered 2,962; and Uxbridge numbering
according to the census of 1860, 3,000 souls, by the
then last census numbered 1,551. This was before
the Blackstone Canal had been laid out; before wiiat
is known as the river-road had been constructed; be-
fore the Uxbridge Woolen Factory had been incorpo-
rated; when the old meeting-house stood upon your
common ; when the old hotel had not been removed ;
when the Union Building was nowhere; when old
Mr. Baker's tannery stood near the spot where the
Union Building, Mr. Whiting's carriage factory,
Mr. Wing's shoj) and their surroundings are now
located. It was the time w^hen the Central Tillage
of Uxbridge was rejoicing in a woolen factory
built a few years previously, in the famous Capron
brick store, the admiration of all the surrounding
country; when the people were interested in the es-
tablishment of a new bank; when Esq. Jaques
kept school in the Academy; when Ayers the luna-
tic used to dress in uniform, brandish his sword, or
ADDUES8. 73
play the flute without making a noise, and deelai-c
he was phiying inwardly; and when the portly Han-
cock used to indulge his voracious appetite at evei-y
house where the people would give him anything to
eat, and write acrostics upon the name of every man,
woman and child, who requested him to do so.
The first factory in Uxbridge, operated by the
waters of the Blackstone River, was owned by the
Uxbridge "Woolen Manufacturing Company. The
original company consisted of Amariah Chapin, Dr.
George Willard, John Taft and Orsmus Tal't. In a
short time, Jacob Chapin also became a memljcr of
the company. The canal was dug and the water
was let in, on Thanksgiving day, 1825. There was
then no road within the distance of half a mile from
the spot where the factory now stands. The first
factory was a wooden structure, eighty feet long,
thirty-five feet wide and three stories high. It
started with two sets of machinery on kerseymeres.
This building was burned August 28th, 1828. If
any one should ask Mr. Orsmus Taft when was the
first time he ever had occasion to limp in his gait, he
would fix the date at the same time. Including the
date of August 28th, 1828, within the term of one
week, seven woolen mills in New England were de-
stroyed by fire. All these fires were supposed to be
the work of an incendiary. There are traditions to
this day of the mysterious stranger who was supposed
10
74 ADDRESS.
to have ridden like a destroying angel through the
country, and of the gleam upon the clouds which
seemed to mark his treacherous journey. The fac-
tory was re-built of brick in 1828, somewhat wider,
but of the same length as the wooden mill which
was burned. The proprietors soon afterwards ob-
tained an act of incorporation. A few years after-
wards, the mill was extended forty feet, making it one
hundred and twenty feet in length. This brick mill
was burned in 1853, and was re-built the same year.
There are now in the mill twelve sets of machinery ;
and in the difference between two sets of machinery
in 1826, and twelve sets in 1864, we see something
of the increase and growth here of the business of
manufacturing, with the same amount of water-
power.
It would be interesting to follow the varying for-
tunes of this establishment from the time when the
water was let into the canal up to the present time;
to show who has made money in the business and
who has lost it, because it might be taken as a sort
of exponent of the fate of the infancy of woolen
manufacturing in this country; but time will not
allow it. In its history, there is an illustration of
the common law principle, that the owner of land
through which water runs, has the right to the run
of the water without its being diverted and carried
past his land. This right may be parted with by
ADDRESS. 75
grant, or, it may be lost by twenty years adverse use
by the party making the diversion of the water.
The waters of the Ulackstone River, when tliey were
let into the canal of the Uxbridge Woolen Co. were
illegally diverted from the owners of land sitnated
on Blaekstone River, and before the twenty years
had expired, most of the land owners fonnd ont their
rights and acted accordingly. I well remember
about the year 184G, when this matter came home
to Mr. Edward Seagrave, the princii)al owner ot
the establishment. It came almost like a cla[) oi
thunder in a clear day. He walked into the ollice
of a young man who foi-merly practiced law in the
Union Building, and commenced counting out ten
dollar bills until he had reached five of them, — rather
a liberal fee for Uxbridge in those days, — " There,"
said he, " help me out of this." The matter was
subsequently adjusted. The rigid application of
the same law against the diversion of water, pre-
vented the establishment of a manufacturing
village at Skull Rock Bridge by the Messrs. Lock-
wood.
The only other mill in Uxljridge operated by the
waters of the Blaekstone River, is the one now iiin
by Messrs. Bradford and Tat't. I could say some-
thing of the history of this mill, and of a v;ilual)le
privilege at Goat Island yet unoccupied ; but tla- laits
about it are so modern, and Mr. Moses Tall knows
76 ADDRESS.
SO much more about them than I do, that it will be
left for him to tell the story.
About seventy years ago, Mumford Kiver was de-
scribed as follows : " Mumford River has its rise in
Roclvy woods, or Douglas woods, in Douglas,
being increased by streams from Badluck Pond and
from Manchaug Pond in Douglas, and by springs
and rivulets, and runs in an easterly course into
Uxbridge; then it turns and runs south-easterly
within a few rods of Uxbridge meeting-house, where
there are several sorts of mills in excellent order
and where much business is well performed. This
river continues its course and joins the Blackstone
Piver about one mile south-east of the meeting-
house." This description was given about the time
when John Capron settled in Uxbi*idge. As nearly
as I can learn, the several sorts of mills in this vil-
lage at that time consisted of a grist-mill on one
side of the stream and a saw-mill on the other side.
In the year 1821, the Capron factory in this vil-
lage was built under the supervision of Luke Chil-
son, of Cumberland, R. L, and the first application
of water-power to the running of a satinet loom by
machinery in this vicinity' was made by Mr. Chilson
at this factory. The mill was at first sixty feet
long; in 1837, sixty feet were added to its length,
and in 1855, forty feet more were added. At first,
it ran two sets of machinery; now it runs six. The
ADDKKSS. 77
house now occupied by Col. Capron was Imilt (nr
a tenement and a lini^liiii«j; sliop; what is now tin-
parlor having" been originally used I'^v linisirmg
cloth. Tbis factor}^ was ncvrr destroyed by liiv, but
no building probably ever bad a more narrow escape
from it. Nearly twenty years ago, in a tremendous
thunder shoAver, it was struck by lightning. In a
few moments after the explosion, Mr. Salmon
Brown discovered that the wool near liiui was oii
fire. lie instantly seized the burning wool in bis
arms and threw it out of the window and savid tiie
establishment from destruction. Had the lire been
at any other point in the building, or had Mr.
Brown less presence of mind, it would probably
have been impossible to prevent a conllagration.
The first manufacture of cottou goods in Ux-
bridge, at what is now the village of the Uxbridge
Cotton Mills, was by Forbes and Benjamiu Clai)p.
Benjamin Clapp had previously manufi\ctured ^liovel
handles and shoe pegs at the old Col. Tillingliast
distillery building; and he and his brother, Forbes
Clapp, about the year 1812, purchased the i)rivilege
now occupied by the Uxbridge Cotton Mills, and
erected a small cotton mill which was afterwards
removed and converted into a boarding-house.
There they manufactured cotton tbread until ab(uit
the year 181G, when they failed. They bad been
stocked by Mr. Kobert Kogerson, who was at tliat
78 ADDRESS.
time a merchant in Boston, and the concern passed
into his hands. Mr. Rogerson manufactured cotton
thread there until about the year 1825, when he re-
moved the Clapp mill and commenced the erection
of his first stone factory. Near it, and a few years
afterwards, in accordance with his original plan, he
erected a second stone factory; and as you well
know, since the property passed out of the hands of
Mr. Rogerson, both mills have been united. Of
Mr. Kogerson I can speak with knowledge, and
much of it was derived from personal acquaintance.
It has rarely been my lot to become acquainted
with a man who impressed me more forcibly. My
first knowledge of him was when I was about
twelve years of age, when he and his brother Han-
del came to my father's house and sjjent the night.
The arrival of two men from Boston, whose forms,
features and style of dress were so marked, was an
event in the history of our quiet neighborhood. It
was before the days of railroads, and the vehicle in
which they rode savored of the city and was got
up in a style somewhat unusual in our vicinity.
At that time, the contract was made and concluded
for the erection and completion of the first stone
factory. Some persons now living can recollect,
but few can recall the appearance of the spot where
the Uxbridge Cotton Mills are now situated, before
it felt the touch of the hand of Robert Rogerson.
ADDUKSS. 7'J
He expended there in buildings and inacliinery, tlio
sum of two hundred and litly ihcjusand duUars.
lie laid out a viUage, whit-h at that time liad mow
of the quaHty of i)erfeeti()n than ahnost any (jlIiim-
raanufaeturing vilhige in Xew Enghmd. For a
time, prosperity attended him; l)ut at length, crushed
by pecuniary reverses and reduced to pi'iiiny, In;
disappeared from the town; and the magnificent
property that had been erected by his genius and
enterprise, and through which he furnished the meana
of industry and emolument to many of your peoj)le,
passed into the hands of strangers ; and it became the
dut}^ of the speaker, who as a boy had looked upon the
grave, stern man with a reverence almost unbound-
ed, to give this same man the written notice to ab-
dicate his home. Kobert Rogerson was no ordinary
man. Upon all whom he met, he left a distinct im-
pression of his peculiar individuality and pLM-sonal
independence. His handwriting was sui generis,
neither easily read nor easily forgotten. He began
with small means and became rich. For a number
of years he was engaged in Boston in the manufac-
ture of thread by means of an apparatus operated by
horse-power. The horse was kept quietly at work
in a cellar, and was no more ignorant of what his
owner was doing than the pul)lic, who were unable
to solve the mystery of his success. He was en-
gaged quite early in life in manufacturing in West
80 ADDRESS.
Bojlston, and when the Crown and Eagle mills were
erected, he was a man of large property and remark-
ably prosperous. He was a man of extensive read-
ing, much thought and rare musical genius. It
was a luxury on the Sabbath, to listen to the strains
of sacred melody which were produced by his skill
in the use of the organ, which the Unitarian society
owe to his munificence, — and during the last thirty
years, it has always had an organist who has played
it without compensation, — or to join with him in the
rich music in which his soul delighted. With all
his superior qualities, he was not without traits
which tended to make him unpopular with the mass
of. the people. He had little of the small-talk of
the world and he did not readily adapt himself to all
men and to all occasions. He had an indomitable
will and a deep undercurrent of pride, which led
him, if possible, to accomplish alone whatever he un-
dertook, and to scorn to ask for aid until it was too
late to be of any avail. He vainly endeavored to
bear up under the load of debt which accumulated
in his business, and he stood like the oak which
bends not to the storm. The crash came at last,
and it came with such force that he never rallied
from it. He sank so deep that no bubble ever rose
to the surface; but even to the last, he proved him-
self a benefactor to Uxbridge; for scarcely a debt
was owing by him in this vicinity that was not paid
ADDRESS. HI
in full. He left the spleiulid property that he had
erected here, to beautify and benefit the town, and
the capitalists were the only losers by his misfortunes.
Whatever may have been the feelin<:^s of some who
imagined they were his enemies, Uxbridge owes liiiu
a debt of sincere gratitude, and whatever may be the
verdict of the rest of the world, the ])eople of this,
his adopted and cherished home, should love and
reverence his memory.
It may not be uninteresting to refer to the progi-ess
of manufacturing upon the Mumford and Black-
stone Rivers so far as the same are situated within
the limits of the original town of Uxbridge.
When one \dsits Whitinsville, and remembers
that thu'ty years ago there was but one machinist
in the village, then called South Northbridge,
he begins to realize the progress which has been
made there within the present century. At some
time before the memory of any living man, there
was a forge not far from the spot where the
Stone Factory now stands, because there were the
remains of one there sixty years ago. A forge was
afterwards built by Col. Ezra Wood * the grand-
father of Samuel Fletcher, Mrs. Paul Wliitin and
Mrs. Amasa Dudley, upon the spot which is now
occupied by the brick shop near the bridge. The
grist-mill that formerly stood at the upper dam was
*For ;i notice of the Wood Family, see Appendix XI.
11
82 . ADDRESS.
removed about the year 1804 and was located close
to the forge. The shop of Col. Paul Whitin stood
on the west side of the road, on the north side of the
stream, and next south of his house ; and these build-
ings, together with three or four residences, consti-
tuted in 1808, what is now known as "Whitinsville.
In 1809, Col. Whitin erected what is now the upper
cotton mill at the upper dam. A company consist-
ing of Mr. Whitin, Samuel Fletcher and others, was
formed for the manufacture of cotton, and was
incorporated by the name of the " ]S^orthbridge Cot-
ton Mills," and continued the manufacturing of
cotton goods down to the year 1825. In 1825, the
estate was sold to Thomas and William Buffum,
who owned and occupied it until 1829, when they
failed. The property passed into the hands of Sam-
uel Shove for one year, and was then purchased by
Paul Whitin and Sons who have owned it ever since.
In 1814, Paul Whitin converted the forge building
into a cotton factory and it was occupied as such by
Whitin and Fletcher until 1826, Avhen the original
building was taken down by P. Whitin's Sons and
the present brick building erected in its place. In
the year 1844, the splendid stone factory was built
on the east side of the road, and in 1847, the large
brick machine shop was built to take the place of
the wooden structures which from time to time had
been growing up to accommodate the immense
ADDRESS. K3
increase in the Iniilding of machinery; and if we visit
the premises to-day, we shall witness the evidences
of growth and prosperity whidi leave us utterly
unable to foresee the results of the next half century ;
for who can tell what the combined power of steam
and human intellect may not be able to accomplish.
Upon the Blackstone River, at the s[)ot where is
now the village of Rockdale, early in the ])reseiit
century were a saw-mill and a grist-mill known as
Eddy's mills. After the last war, as we used to
say, about the year 1815, a corporation was formed
called the " Korthbridge Cloth Manufacturing Com-
pany," consisting of the elder Governor Lincoln,
Daniel Waldo, Judge Nathaniel Paine, Jesse Eddy
and others, who built there a fLictory and manufac-
tured woolen cloths. Mr. Waldo became frightened
and gave his stock to the younger Governor Lin-
coln and Col. John W. Lincoln. If I am correctly
informed, the corporation sold out its interest in the
estate before the death of the elder Governor Lin-
coln, who died in 1820. His executors sold a large
quantity of wool, which he had raised to be worked
up in the mill of the corporation, at the price of two
dollars a pound; and they made more money on the
wool than the Xrovernor had made in manufacturing.
Three-fourths of the estate was conveyed by the
corporation to John Farnum, Samuel Willis and
Esek Fitts, and on the 17th of December, 1821, it
84 ADDRESS.
was conveyed by said Farnum and Willis to Sylva-
nus Holbrook. On the lltli day of October, 1822,
the other fourth was conveyed by Jesse Eddy to
Sylvanus Holbrook. Mr. Holbrook did a very
extensive business there for a number of years.
Enterprising and ambitious, for a time he seemed to
be a favorite of fortune. Some of us remember the
time before he was overtaken by misfortunes by fire
and flood, when in robust health, with glowing cheek
and flashing eye, he used to drive that white horse
and sulky over this section of country; and, as we
turned to look upon his splendid form, and one of
the most striking faces we ever beheld, we uncon-
sciously said to ourselves, there goes one of natm-e's
noblest specimens of a man. He afterwards became
the owner of Dunn's mills, situated about a mile
below Rockdale. Dunn's mills were once a famous
spot. I well remember when West River failed and
the grist could not be ground in my native town,
that a sort of pilgrimage was made over an old
narrow, hilly road to Dunn's. There was a mystery
about the still, deep-flowing river which astonished
those whose experience was confined to shallower
streams; and David Dunn, who lived in the green
house by the mill, east of the river, and Henry
Dunn, who lived in the red house upon the hill,
west of the river, with their coats all covered with
meal and their hats all caked with dough, were
ADDRESS. H5
objects of peculiar reverence. Tf at that time, as now,
scythes and bayonets had been manulactured in tlie
stone shop, almost as rapidly as a man can wink,
the days of witchcraft would seem to have come
again, and Blackstone River might have l)een in
imminent danger of becoming an object of idolatry.
Rising in the north-westerly part of the town, a
small stream runs into the Mumford Ri\'er. It bcai-s
the euphonious title of " The Rivulet." Upon tliis
small stream, the " Rivulet Manufacturing Company"
established themselves in 1815. The company con-
sisted of Samuel Read, Alpheus Baylies, John
Capron, Daniel Carpenter, Jerry Wheelock, George
Carpenter, Joseph H. Perry, Luther Spring, Ezbon
C. New^ell, Samuel Judson and Amherst Billings.
It was formed March 14th, 1815, with a capital of
fourteen thousand five hundred dollars, for tlie
purpose of manufacturing wool and cotton into
yarn and cloth, to continue eight years and as much
longer as three-fourths of the company should agree
to continue it; and to make no dividend of profits
within the term of eight years, unless by a vote of
three-fourths of the company. They manufactured
only satinets and purchased the warps. Either
because the stream was so small, or for some other
reason, a dividend of profits was never declared; and
the privilege was abandoned, so far as the manufac-
turing of wool was concerned, between thirty and
86 ADDRESS.
forty years ago. From that time to the present, the
factory has passed through a variety of fortunes,
and it remains as a standing admonition not to build
too large an establishment on too small a stream.
The power of the Mumford River has been enlarged
and economized by means of the construction of two
or three splendid reservoirs, operating on the same
principle as the interest which accures upon reserved
profits in business ; but the poor little rivulet, that
like the little stream in the orchard described by
Grace Greenwood, was scarcely worth a dam, never
arrived at the dignity of having a decent sized
reservoir to encourage it in its efforts to furnish
constant power to the establishment.
There runs through this village and empties into
the Mumford River another small stream known as
Shuttle Brook. As I have before stated, the build-
ing, which formerly occupied the spot where the
shuttle shop now stands, was the scene of the
ablutions of the crazy crowd congregated under the
care of Dr. Samuel "Willard. From Dr. Willard, the
property passed into the hands of Abiel Jaques, who
about the year 1825, sold the water privilege and
building to the late Capt. George Carpenter, who
erected the building where the water privilege is
now used. Capt. George and Col. John Capron,
for a few years occupied the shop for the building
of looms and other articles of machinery. The
ADDUESS. H7
estate then passed into the hands of Messrs. Aldiicli
and Hopkins, who carried on the business of making
shuttles. It then passed into the hands of John
White, who carried on the same business. It tlit'n
passed into the hands of Joseph Thayer, Esq., who,
so far as I can learn, never manufactured shuttles,
cotton or w^ool, but who seems to have had, first and
last, about as many titles in the manufacturing,^
establishments of Uxbridge as all the manufacturers
put together. It then passed into the hands of
Eobert G. Taft, who carried on what is known as
the " kit business," that is, making shoemakers' tools.
It then passed into the hands of George ^Y. Thurs-
ton, who also carried on the "kit business." It
then passed into the hands of Robert Taft, who did
not carry on the " kit business," and from him it
passed to the present owner. Before I became an
inhabitant of Uxbridge, I used to hear about a
mineral spring situated somewhere in the neighbor-
hood of the shuttle shop, but like the springs at
Ballston, it has been over-shadowed by the splendors
of Saratoga and is heard of no more.
The next stream, to which our attention would
naturally be directed, is the Emerson Brook, upon
which there was once a factory, a saw-mill and a
grist-mill, but they have been substantially aban-
doned. Those who are more acquainted willi the
stream than I am, can tell whether it possesses any
88 ADDRESS.
power that is worth the expense of attempting to
apply it, although I see no reason why the quantity
of water and the extent of the fall would not
authorize a reasonable effort to make the same sub-
servient to the good of the community.
The last stream that I shall refer to is the Ironstone
Brook. About the year 1814, the factory of the
Ironstone Manufacturing Company was built by
William Arnold, Moses Farnum, Dr. Comstock and
Laban Comstock, and they manufactured cotton
yarn. About 1820, William Arnold came into
possession of the property, and it was used for the
manufacture of cotton cloth. The. mill was burned
in 1832, and was not by him re-built. The property
then passed through various hands, and Jonathan
F. and Elisha Southwick re-built the mill in 1836.
Since its re-building it has been owned by sundry
individuals and firms, and has generally been devoted
to the manufacturing of different kinds of woolen
goods. The mill takes its name from the peculiar
appearance of the stone of which it is built, indicat-
ing the presence of iron in it.
Upon the privilege below the stone mill, manufac-
turing was begun by means of a small wheel, which
was put in a short time before Mr. Farnum raised
the dam at Millville. The reason why a manufac-
turing establishment in miniature was erected there,
is to be found in the fact, that the owner of a lower
ADDRESS. 80
privilege has the right to How out an upper
privilege upon the same streaui, provided llio upper
privilege is not occupied for mill purposes. Mr.
Southwick, the owner of the privilege of which I am
speaking, in accordance with the advice of counsel,
established rather a small mill and wheel there, and
I have always felt a decided conviction that it was
not an unprofitable investment.*
There is one other object to which the waters of
the Blackstone valley have been ai)propriated, that
deserves a passing notice; I refer to the Blackstone
canal. The subject of a canal, from the waters ol
I^arragansett Bay to the centre of Massachusetts,
had been agitated at various times from 177G to the
time when the Blackstone Canal Company was
incorporated. In 1822, the project was taken hold
of in earnest. Acts of incorporation were granted
by the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
respectively; and on July 5th, 1825, the two State
corporations were united under the name of the
" Blackstone Canal Company." The excavation was
begun in Rhode Island in 1824; in Massachusetts in
1826; and the first boat passed over the whole line
and arrived at Worcester, October 7th, 1828. Amid
*See Appendix XII., for note upon Ironstone ; and especially Appendix XIII.
for the very valuable communication of Charles A. Whi'clock U|)on tlie history
of manufacturing in Uxbridge. Mr. Wheelock has most heartily tnttred into
the publication of this Address and the preparation of the several notes to it.
To him the town is much indebted.
12
90 ADDRESS.
the booming of cannon, the waving of flags and the
general rejoicing of the people along the route, the
waters of the Narragansett and the centre of Massa-
chusetts were at length united. The expense of
the work was about seven hundred and fifty thou-
sand dollars, over two-thirds of which was paid by
citizens of Rhode Island. It has been truly said,
that the canal was more useful to the public than to
the owners. I know that some persons have been
accustomed to sneer at the Blackstone canal; but to
my mind, it was a magnificent enterprise. To the
Providence and Worcester railroad, it was a sort
of fore-runner, hinting at its grade, furnishing its
path, and opening an avenue for the transportation
of heavy freight up and down through the valley,
until the day should come, which would demonstrate
the necessity and the possibility of more rapid com-
munication.* As a proof of this, we give the
quantity of freight carried over the canal from Pro^d-
dence to Uxbridge during five years; in 1831, 964
tons; in 1832, 1,184 tons; in 1833, 1,069 tons; in
1834, 1,497 tons, and in 1835, 1,534 tons.
The changes which soon took place in the methods
of travel and transportation, will always prevent
* The Blackstone canal ceased to be used in Massachusetts after the opening
of the Providence and Worcester raih-oad in 1847. It continued in partial use
in Rhode Island for several years longer; not for its value as a means of pul>
lie transportation, but to secure water rights obtained by means of the canal
charter.
\
ADDRKSS. 91
any accurate statement of wliat llu- canal woul.l
have accomplished if it had ])een constructed twenty
years earlier; but many of the best inrornicd men,
— men who have had the best opportunities f(jr
forming a sound judgment, will tell you to-day, that
not only Providence and Worcester, but every town
along the whole line of the canal is deeply indebted
to it, for its present growth and prosperity.
I have thus referred to running water and to some
of the results of its application to machinery, or
ortherwise. It has increased wealth and comfort
and productive industry. In the little stoiy to
which I have referred, John Hopkins is represented
as coming in contact with another giant, to which
I propose, for a few moments, to call your attention.
" Aquce fluentes " is not the only giant hei-e made
useful. John's new giant was far more difficult and
dangerous to manage; and much more rapid and
impetuous in his manner of doing business. When
the first was not powerful enough to perform the
tasks imposed, the second could be brought to his
aid, and while the first was mostly limited to the
lines of travel in which he had been accustomed to
run and never could be managed with any success
on an ascending grade, but there came to a dead
stop, the latter could be made to work at any })lace
and at any time; and the more closely he was con-
fined and the more abundantly he was fed, the more
92 ADDRESS.
powerful and active was the strength that he put
forth; and while the fonner was a comparatively
slow and lazy traveler, the latter moved as swiftly
as the wind. Go to Wheelock's factory and you
will find a twenty-five horse-power engine already
added to the force of the original stream. Go to
the Uxbridge Woolen factory, and you will find an
addition of a forty horse-power of the same kind.
Go watch each shrieking engine as it thunders along
the iron track which passes through this village,
and you will find the steam giant of John Hopkins.
Had this giant been confined at the Rivulet
factory, and had the means of feeding him been as
readily furnished as now, that weather-beaten estate
might have been as bright and as busy as any, and
never have been struck by the desolation which
seems to have marked it. The use of steam as a
power in this town (if I remember accurately) did
not exist until after the opening of the Providence
and Worcester railroad. The increase which it may
give to your power, productiveness and industry,
time only can tell. It would be less easy to tell
what you may become with it, than to tell what
"Worcester would be without it.
About twenty years ago, two gentlemen were seen
riding on horseback from Providence to Worcester,
and paying rather careful attention to many of the
localities of their journey. They were Messrs.
ADDKKSS. '.IS
Moses B. Ives and Alexander Duneaii, two of the
most wealthy and influential eitizens of the State ol'
Rhode Island. The object of their sin^^ular lidc
was to ascertain the feasil)ility of a raihoad from
Providence to Worcester. According to tiicir
suggestions, meetings w^ere held, facts were col-
lected, stock was subscribed for, and after a few
years a railroad was completed between the two
cities. When w^e see the immense and numerous
freight trains which pass over this road daily, when
we observe the crowed of passengers who fill the
cars, when we find the stock selling at one hundred
and thirty-five dollars a share, whether gold is one
hnndred and forty, or one hundred and seventy,
paying from its earnings a semi-annual dividend of
fonr per cent., with a handsome surplus to be applied
to building a double track, or to any other inij)rove-
ment which may tend to the accommodation, or
safety of the public, it is hard to realize, how, at
first, the matter dragged, and how difficult it was
to induce capitalists to invest in the enterprise.
But time, as truly the vindicator of a great enter-
prise as of a virtuous deed, has demonstrated even
to the timid and hesitating, that the hour had
fully come for building the rail-way; and as the
beacon fights of free-labor stream out from tlie
mills as Ave glide so smoothly by, they si)eak in
tones of genuine eloquence of the energy, com-
94 ADDRESS.
fort and resources of the valley of the Black-
stone.
As an illustration of the manner in which the
world is making progress, I have selected the
following facts from the Scientific American: —
" One man can spin more cotton yarn now, than four
hundred could do in 1769, when Arkwright took out his
first patent."
' ' One man can now make as much flour in a day, as a
hundred and fifty, a century ago."
" One woman can now make as much lace in a day, as a
hundred women, a hundred years ago."
" It now requires only as many days to refine sugar, as it
did months thirty years ago."
' ' It once required six months to put quicksilver on glass ;
now it needs only forty minutes."
We have thus briefly referred to the local charac-
teristics of this town and its inhabitants. We have
referred to some of the sources of its industry and
the manner in which they have been developed.
We come down to the year of our Lord 1864, and
we find here more of the elements of substantial
prosperity than were ever found here before.
Here are more rich men, more productive industry
and more to commend it to our hopes and expecta-
tions than have existed at any former period in its
history. It is true, that more of the foreign element
is found here than formerly, and a Catholic church
exists where formerly not a Catholic was found; but
the day has come when the Catholic and the Pro-
testant, the Calvinist and the Liberal Christian, can
ADDRESS. 95
dwell together in peace and harmony, each one
worship})ing God in his own way, and standing, or
falling, to his own Master. The future success and
prosperity of this town dei)end, not upon its water-
power, although this is always desirable as an
incidental circumstance; not upon its steam-power,
used either to drive fixed machinery, or for rapid
locomotion; not upon the fertility of its soil, nor the
beauty of its location, but upon skilful, industrious,
intelligent, true-hearted and virtuous men and
women.
If you ask, what are the conditions of growth
and prosperity for any city, town or village, I
answer, that it is not the advantages of the best
location, not the most fruitful soil, not the largest
water-power, not the best facilities for communica-
tion; but if in addition to a reasonable supply of
these, there are men who have the brains to plan,
the wills to undertake, and the nerves to carry on
such business as will furnish the blessings of well-
paid labor, and if there are women with heart and
brains enough to appreciate and aid them, your
question is readily answered.
And here we learn one of the unpleasant lessons
taught by the facilities which are now furnished for
cheap and rapid travel, and transportation. No
longer than thirty years ago, it was al)out a three
days' journey to visit Boston, attend to business and
96 ADDRESS.
get fairly home. !N^ow you can reach there in
season for business, attend to business during
business hours and be at home in time for tea.
But have you ever thought that the tendency of this
state of things is to steal away your brightest and
your best, and before you are aware of it, to convert
them into citizens of some commercial metropolis,
whither everything seems to be moving. Centraliza-
tion is the result naturally springing out of this
rapidity of communication, which tends to carry
away the active and energetic men with a power
almost UTCsistible. How is this tendency to be
counter-balanced? I answer, by building up at home
the means of lucrative employment, and by giving
to skilful, honest labor, its just and honest reward.
Teach your children, that the object of human life
is not greatness, but goodness; that the real phi-
losopher's stone is an elevated standard of human
virtue; that the demand upon a human being is to
do well the duty which lies nearest him and make
the world better by his having lived in it. All men
cannot be great, but every man can be good. All
men cannot reach what are falsely estimated as the
points of desirable elevation, but every man can be
respectable. All men cannot exert a wide and
prominent influence, but every man may be a blessing
to the loving circle which surrounds him. All men
have their particular localities to which they transfer
\
ADDKKSS. 1)7
their affections ; but I envy neither the head, nor tlie
heart of liini, who does not often turn with a deep
and heartfelt longing to the scenes, the remem-
brances and the friendships of his eai-ly home; and
I honor with my heart of hearts, the man, or the
woman, who amid the allurements of this chanjjfinir
world, retains in large measure the pui-ity and
guilelessness of an innocent and happy childhood.
We see them in our sweetest dreams, —
These fi'uitful hills and flowing streams ;
And listen, with a half drawn sigh,
To melodies of days gone ])y.
But soon there soundeth loud and clear,
A voice we nmst not fail to hear ;
There pointeth, with a warning hand.
An angel to the stern command ; —
The past must bury up its dead : —
The future comes with earnest tread,
It crowds each moment of to-day.
And di-ives the cherished past away.
13
A Composition by a Young Lady of Uxbridge, written in
1832 Appendix XIV.
Of Some Members of the Capron Family Appendix XV.
Of the Taft Family Appendix XVI.
Of the Schools Appendix XVII.
Of THE Select Schools and Academies Appendix XVIII.
Of the Libraries Appendix XIX.
Of the Banks in Uxbridge Appendix XX.
Of the Burying-grounds Appendix XXI.
Of the Men from Uxbridge who served in the Civil War,
1861-1865 Appendix XXII.
APPENDICES.
APPENDIX I.
The Successors of Rev. Mr. Clarke.
The successors of Rev. Mr. Clarke as pastors of llio
First Congregational Church in Uxljridge have been :
Rev. Charles Taylor Cantield, ordained and installed
October 12th, 1860, and resigned March 31st, 18G2.
Rev. RusHTON Dashwood Burr, was installed November
12th, 1862, and resigned May 4th, 1868.
Rev. Sajviuel Russell Priest, was ordained and installed
Jan. 20th, 1869, and resigned Jan. 2nd, 1871.
Rev. James Thompson Lusk, was hired March, 1872,
and resigned July 1st, 1875.
Rev. George Bremner, was ordained and installed Nov.
16th, 1875, and remains pastor of the church. :Much might
be kindly said of the last five whose names appear, but the
time has not yet come. H. C.
The Successors of Rev. Mr. Judson.
David Adams Grosvenor, son of Nathan and Lydia
Adams Grosvenor, was born at Craftsbury, Vermont, July
10th, 1802. His parents were from Windham County, Con-
necticut. In 1818, he entered PhilUps Academy, Andover,
and began his preparation for college, having the christian
ministry in view. He entered Yale College in 1821. An
inilanmiation of the eyes during his jimior year, rendered
102 APPENDIX I.
him unable to read for nine months, and compelled him to
fall back a year in his standing, from the class of 1825 to
that of 1826. After gi'aduating he spent a year in the
family of Judge Hall, of Ellington, Conn., as principal of
his "High School." The next three years were spent at
the Theological Seminary of Yale College. After being
licensed to preach, he supplied for nine months the pulpit
of the Congregational Church in Pomfret, Conn., his father's
native place. He l)egan preaching in Uxbridge, August,
1831, and on June 6th, 1832, was ordained and installed
pastor of the First Evangehcal Congregational Church in this
town, and was dismissed at his own request, June 15th, 1842.
He was what is known as a " Taylorite " in his views ; these
views representing the New Haven school of orthodoxy in
contra-distinction to the Andover school. He was a faitliful
preacher, a man of fair learning and abihty, and performed
his pastoral duties with much patience and fidehty. No
man could have more at heart the interests of his church,
and no man ever gave liimself more zealously to his calling
than he. In February, 1843, he was installed pastor of the
First Presbyterian church, in Elyria, Ohio, and remained
there till the summer of 1852. In 1853, he became pastor
of the Congregational Church in Medina, Ohio, where he
remained several years.
Mr. Grosvenor published several sermons and articles for
reviews. He mamed in May, 1835, Miss S. Whitney,
and their only child, who died in infancy, is buried in the
Uxbridge Cemetery.
Mr. Grosvenor died at Cincinnati, Ohio, August 11th,
1866, of cholera. His widow lives upon the valuable estate
AITENDIX I. llCi
which her l)elove(l hiislKind left in Elyria, Ohio. " Ik- was
ti faithful servant of the Lord and ihrouirlj the ^'raee ;:iven
to liini, was uncommonly successful in his lahors."
The successors of Rev. Mr. Grosvenor, all of wfiom, except
Mr. Ahhot, arc living, have been : —
Rev. JoiiN Okcutt, installed Dec. 18th, 1842, and
dismissed May 1st, 1849 ; —
Jacob Jackson Abbot, D. D., — a notice of whom we
give below ; —
Rev. J. B. Johnson, installed December 15th, 1804, and
dismissed February 6th, 18(38 ; —
Rev. Thomas C. Biscoe, installed December 2d, 1808,
and dismissed May 25th, 1876 ; —
Rev. Geokge II. Joilxson, hired for one }car from ^lay
1st, 1877, and left when the year expired ; —
Rev. William H. Cobb, installed September 18th, 1878,
and remains pastor at the present time.
Jacob Jackson Abbot, D. D., was l)orn in Groton,
Vermont, July 17th, 1813, and died in New Haven, Conn.,
December 3d, 1878, at the age of sixty-five years. lie com-
menced his preparation for college after he attained iiis
majority, entering the academy at Peacham, Vt., late in llie
year 1834, and the Sophomore class in Dartmouth College
in the summer of 1836 ; and he was graduated in 1837 at the
head of his class. The next two years he was engaged in
teaching in the State of Mississippi. Returning to New Eng-
land in 1841, he entered x\ndover Theological Seminary;
but was now persuaded to accept a tutorship in Dartmouth
College, which he held for two years. In 1843, Mr. Abl)ot
declining any further service in the college, entered the
104 API'ENDIX I.
middle class in Union Theological Seminary. He used to
say that the theological course was a " perfect feast to him."
He was graduated in 1845, and immediately accepted a call
fi'om the church in Bennington, Vt. He was ordained and
installed August 27th, 1845, as the successor of the Rev.
Dr. Hooker. He mamed Miss Margaret Fletcher Whitin,
of Whitinsville, September 16th, 1845. The work upon
which he entered was a large one, and liis health failed him
during the first year, and at the end of the second year he
was dismissed, his physician giving him little encourage-
ment of regaining his health. As soon as he was aljle to
travel, he accepted an agency from the American Tract
Society, and set out on horseback to make a tour through
the States of North and South Carolina, and Georgia. His
health gradually improved, and at the end of seven months,
he was able to return to New England, although he was
not immediately able to resume the responsibilities of a
pastorate. In 1850, he accepted a call from the Evangelical
Congregational Church in Uxbridge, after having supphed
the pulpit there for six months. Here he had " precious
fruits of his labors and warm hearts still attest his faithful-
ness." During the pastorate of Mr. Abbot, September
3d, 1856, Mr. Wilham Banfield Capron, son of Deacon
William C. Capron, was ordained as a Christian minister.
Rev. Mr. Capron was aftenvards appointed to the ]\Iadura
mission, where he died Oct. 6th, 1876. Mr. Abbot resigned
his pastorate in 1862, and preached for some time in
Whitinsville and other places in the vicinity. In 1863, he
went to Washington to engage in the work of the Christian
Commission. This service, which he vindertook for six
APrrxDix I. 105
weeks, lasted almost two yeai-s, or until llif dose of ijuj
woi-k ot" tlic coimnissioii. lie discliarirrd willi lidclit\ ;iiiil
great success the delicate and perplexinir duties of the
position. Fi-oni Washinirtou he went diicelly to the Cen-
tral church in \ annouth, Maine, which had hecn waiting
tor him lor some montiis. lie was instaUeil as |)a>tor and
remained here until the final lailui'c ot' his heahh, and was
dismissed October 1st, 1^7."). He then spent a year and a
halt" at u health-retreat in the interior of New York, and in
1877, he went to Colorado, l)ut finding no permanent
relief from the change of climate, he came h;i(l< to his homo
in New Haven, Conn., to die. During his l;i>t iihicss,
which was accompanied by intense suffering, he used to say,
that he " wanted to feel that everything, all his trials even,
came from the hand of God." " Second causes trouble me,"
he said, "I want nothing to come hetsveen me and God."
The hnal change came at midnight. "I think the death
struggle is over," he said; " I pray for you all ;" and st) he
fell asleep. Dr. Abbot was freciuently ai)i)ointe<l on the
examining committee of Bowdoin College, and suih was his
famiharity with the classical languages and with mathe-
matics, that he was able to enter into the dillerent examina-
tions as readily as if he had been a professor of only a single
depai-tment of study. He was a careful student of the Scrij)-
tures in the He])rew and Greek tongues, and a clergyman
who knew him well says, " he was the only parish minister
I have ever known, who had worn out his Hebrew Bi})lc,
so that it had to be re-bound." In is 74, Bowdoin College
conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
As a minister. Dr. Abbot was remarkable for his clear and
14
lOG APPENDIX I.
discriminating views of the truths of the Bible. His ser-'
mons were remarkable for simplicity in the statement of
the truth and for their evangelical tone. In the pulpit he
seemed under restraint, as one possessed with a sense of
the glory of the place. He was a judicious counsellor and a
faitliful friend. — [Ed. Condensed from an obituary written
by Rev. E. H. Byington, and published in the Vermont
Chronicle, of January 18th, 1879,
APPENDIX IT.
TiiK Baptist Cimirir.
The Baptist Church, in North Uxhridiro, was oiiraiii/c*!
June 22iid, 1842, and was called the " Uxl>nd<re liaptist
Church." On the same day, Austix Koi$m\s was onl.iiiicd
and installed i)astor of the new church.
David D. Paine and Ira Parkis were subsequently chosen
deacons of the church. The chun h i-.ijjidly incicMscd in
numbers, receiving forty-seven memhers during the lirst
year of its organization. Rev. Mr. Kol)l)ins remained with
the church until 1850, when he resigned after a successful
pastorate of eight years. For the next four years the pidi)it
of this church was supplied by Rev. Jon Boo.mku, Uv\ .
Joseph Smith, Rev. Joseph Tillinghast and Kev. S. 8.
Mallory, each officiating about one year. Rev. Ja.mes
Russell became pastor of the church Noveinl)er 11th, 18r)4,
and resigned in 18(34, after a very successful i)astorate of
nearly ten years. Rev. Joseph Bauber became pastor in
April, 1865, and resigned in November, 1868, and was fol-
lowed by Rev. J. W. Dick, in April, ISH!), who continucil
his ministry here until July, 1871. In October, 1871, Rev.
J. H. Tiltox was installed pastor of the church and remained
six years, closing his labors October, 1877. In the follow-
mg month, November, 1877, the present pastor, lU-s . W. II.
Lane, was installed.
108 APPENDIX II.
This church has always occupied the hall, which was fitted
up as a place of worship, by Mr. Robert Rogerson, over
the store which was l)uilt about the time of the orijaniza-
tion of the church ; and the Messrs. Whitins have furnished
it for the same purpose since they came into possession of
the property.
The church has recently purchased a house for a parson-
age, with a site for a house of worship, which they hope to
erect at some future time. The meml)ershij) of the church,
for the last twenty years, has not varied much from one
hundred members. (A. A. W.)
AITKXniX III.
Tin: Roman Catholic ("iiri:fii.
The curliest account of any Ivoinaii ( 'Mtholic ("liiirch
service that we have ])ccn al)h> to ohlaiii, is, tli.it a scrN ice
Avas held t'oi- the few C'atholies in UxhridL-'e in the year 1N.")0,
by the Rev. Patrick McGkatii, of Hopkinlon, in one <>f
the farm-laborer's tenements of the late .lose})!! Thayer, Ks(j.
IJxbridge was erected into a parish by the late Riirht Rev.
J. B. FiTZPATRiCK, Bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts ;
and Rev. E. J. Sheridan was ai)p()inted pastor, Au^^ust,
1853. The parish then include(l the towns of Grat^on,
IMillbury, Northbridge, Douglas and Uxbridge.
St. Mary's Church, in Uxbridge, was dedicated l.S')5 : the
sermon, on the occasion, being preached by Rev. James A.
Ilealy, now Bishop of the Diocese of Maine.
In May, 1867, Rev. Denxis O'Keefe was appointed pastor
and remained one year, w^hen he was removed to Clinton,
Mass.
In May, 1868, Rev. D. F. Moran was appointed pastor,
who, in 1870, caused to be built St. Patrick's, Whitinsville.
In 1871, Rev. H. L. Robinson was appointed pastor, and
in 1876, St. Mary's Church was repaired and re-deconited at
a cost of $2,500. The present parish includes the towns of
Uxbridge and Northbridge. St. Patrick's in Whitinsville,
Northbridge, was built in 1869. St. Mary's in Uxbridge is
the parish church. The whole number of souls in the parish
is about 2,000.
APPENDIX IV.
The Methodist Episcopal Church.
The first Methodist preaching in Ux])ridge Centre began
about September 1st, 1874. Some of the citizens, desiring
to reach a class that was not hearing the Gospel, made
arrangements with Rev. Mr. Merrill, then pastor of the
M. E. Church, in Whitinsville, to preach in Taft's Hall on
Sunday evenings ; and Mr. Merrill continued his services
up to February 7th, 1875.
Mr. F. T. PoMEROY, of Shrewsbury, a local preacher of
the M. E. Cliurch, succeeded Mr. Merrill, and remained
here until April, 1877. His appointment was considered a
mission of the Church.
In the Autumn of 1875, a Sunday School and prayer and
class meetings were initiated. The mission was formally
organized as a Methodist Episcopal Church, with eight mem-
bers, December 19th, 1875, by Rev. Dr. Haskell, presiding
elder of the Worcester district.
Mr. Hunter, of the Boston University, succeeded ]Mr.
Pomeroy, but soon left. He was succeeded by Rev. John
W. Collier. He began his labors June 9, 1877, and closed
them June 23d, 1878, to go as missionary to Peru, South
America. He was an earnest, christian minister, abundant
in his labors, and was eminently successful. For the
remainder of the conference year. Rev. J. H. Thompson
supplied the pulpit; Mr. Thompson was returned to
APPENDIX IV. Ill
Uxbridge for the conference year iSTil-.sO, whidi was the
first appointment made here hy tlic Conference.
In March, 1878, the society purchased of the to^vn, its a
site for a chm*ch edifice, a lot in the old l)iiryingirn)und, in
the centre of the toAvn. Subscription papers for the church
were opened in January, 1879, and on Ajml 1st, the amount
pledged was $3,500. A plan for the church has l)cen
accepted, and the work of building has begun. It is
expected that the church will be ready for use in January,
1880. The membership is now about GO. — [^Juhj, 1879.
Compiled from the account of Rev. Mr. Thomjpson. Ed.
APPENDIX V.
Joseph Thayer, Esq.
The death of this venerable gentleman occurred in Wor-
cester, on Tuesday, January 9th, 1872.
" Esq. Thayer," a title by which he was so well known,
was ])orn in Douglas, in the year 1792, and was the last of
a family consisting of three brothers and two sisters. He
was fitted for college under the Rev. David Holman of
Douglas, entered Brown University in 1811, and graduated
in the class of 1815. Among his classmates were Rev.
Jasper Adams, Rev. George Taft, Rev. Alvan Bond, Hon.
Charles Turner, and others, who were men of standing and
influence in their day and generation. Dr. John E. Hol-
brook, the eminent physician and naturalist, who recently
died, was at one time a room-mate of Mr. Thaj'er.
After leavinsr colleo-e Mr. Thayer studied law with Hon.
Levi Lincoln, in Worcester, and Hon. Bezaleel Taft, Jr., in
Uxbridge. He commenced business in Uxbridge, about the
year 1818, and from that time made Uxbridge his home.
He married Chloe Taft, a daughter of Hon. Bezaleel Taft, a
lady of rare intellect, and of a most pure, sweet and
religious nature. For a number of j^ears he was largely
engaged in the practice of law, and in various business
matters which found their way into his hands. Of rare
financial ability, had his lot been cast in the midst of fovor-
able surroundings, according to the estimate of his cotem-
APPENDIX V. 113
porarics, he would have been anionir tlie niilhonaircs of the
land. AVith no patrimony, ho accuiiiul.itcd a piojicrtv
which would have been considoi-cd large at the time when,
some twenty-five years ago, with failing health, he substan-
tially retired from active business. Economical and thrifty,
he was ahvays remarkably ready to assist persons by loans
and pecuniary aid, and when he had once g-iven his conti-
dence, he was slow to withdraw it, and he suftered loans to
lie uncollected, apparently Avithout anxiety, not according
to the practice Avliich is common among men of shrewdness
and sagacity. The same spirit was apparent in reference to
some of his poor tenants, who although comparatively i)en-
sioners upon his good -will, were rarely disturbed or
troubled. A man of large perceptions and calm, clear
judgment, he relied much upon liis own mental resources
and rarely sought the advice of any one else. Ilis advice
was much sought in municipal matters and he always took
a deep interest in the honor and prosperity of the town
of Uxbridge. His intuitions were clear and distinct, and
his mental faculties rarely failed Avhen any emergency
demanded their exercise. An illustration of his sldll in the
management of men is related of him. He contracted to
build a portion of the ProAddence and "Worcester railroad,
leading through his farm. A^'hile the work Avas progressing
the Irishmen struck for higher Avages. Seeing the Avorkmen
sitting around, Esq. Thayer informed the sub-contractor that
he would attend to those felloAvs. He proceeded to liis
house and taking the Riot Act, read it to the Irishmen with
a loud voice and an impressive manner. By the time he had
closed, each man had seized his shovel and proceeded to his
15
114 APPENDEX V.
work ; one fellow suggesting to his neighbor in a low voice,
" Be jabbers, I didn't know there was such a law as that in
this country !" A characteristic anecdote is related of him
by one who took part in a consultation between himself.
Judge Barton and Esq. Thayer. The question related to a
suit upon a certain bank note. Judge Barton suggested
certain points of law. Esq. Thayer, losing all patience,
exclaimed, " Ira, I tell you there ain't but one pint in the
case. He must pay the note." In this case as in many
others, his intuitions were correct in spite of nice questions
of law which troubled those more learned and better lawyers
than himself.
By general consent he was elected a delegate from the
town of Uxbridge to the Massachusetts Constitutional Con-
vention in 1853.
He was deeply interested in Freemasonry, was a member
of the Royal Arch Chapter, and at one time was one of the
most prominent men of the Order.
He was a life-long democrat, and was formerly very
influential in the counsels of the party ; still he never allowed
his party feehngs to interfere with his friendsliips, and he
was loyal to the government in the great rebelUon. When
inquired of once why a near relative of his always voted the
Whio- ticket while he voted the Democratic ticket, his reply
was, " why, God bless you, he was brought up in a Whig
neio-hborhood." Would that the same amount of charity
mio-ht always be exercised towards political opponents ! He
was elected a representative from the town of Uxbridge for
several years, and took a strong and active interest in the
leading questions of the day, including banking, the Warren
APPENDIX V. 115
bridge, &c., &c. lie took nu artivo part in tlic (•()ii>tni(ti(.ii
of the Blackstone canal, and of the Providence and Wor-
cester railroad, having l)ccn one of llic first directors of iIk;
last-named corporation.
He Avas fond of his classmates and friends ; ami until liis
mind became somewhat clouded, was remarkal>ly clear in
his recollection of names, faces and dates. PiohaMy no
man was better acquainted Avith men and affairs in the south
part of Worcester county than he was when blest with health
and vigor. However diliering from many of the prominent
men of his time, he enjoyed their respect and confidence.
He has passed away full of years, and many whom he
has befriended will bless his memory. II. C.
APPENDIX VI.
James Watson Robbens, M. D.
James Watson Bobbins, M. D., was bom at Colebrook,
Conn., November 18th, 1801, and died in this town,
January 10th, 1879. His ancestors on his father's side, for
several generations, were Orthodox clerg\Tiien. He was
graduated at Yale College, in 1822, and stood amongst the
foremost members of his class. For three or four years he
taught in families in Virginia, and amongst those whom he
fitted for West Point, was the famous Robert E. Lee, Com-
mander-in-chief of the Confederate army, in the rebelUon of
1861. In Virginia, he began his botanical studies, a branch
of natural science that he zealously pursued for the remainder
of his life. He retm-ned to Connecticut in 1825, and now
entered upon his medical studies ; and in 1828 he received
his degree of M. D. From May to November, 1829, in
company with another botanist, he made a botanical journey
throuah the New Enofland States, and it was at this time
that he met Dr. George Willard, of this town, and by him
was persuaded to make Uxbridge his home. He formed a
partnership with Dr. Willard, but it was soon dissolved.
In 1836, he became a member of the Massachusetts Medical
Society, and was twice elected delegate to the American
Medical Association. From 1860 to 1864, he spent his
time with certain mining companies, as physician and
ArPEXDlX VI. 117
surgeon. In 18G4 he made :i J)f)(anicjiltour throu<^'h Louisi-
ana, Texas, Mexico and Cuba; his fornior pupil, (icmral
Lee, furnishiiiir liini with a pass and many other facilities tor
passage and safe travehng through the rehel Stiites. Thi;
sulTerings of liis last sickness, which was not long, were hornc!
with his usual good nature and patience. Dr. lu)l)l»iiis was
immaiTied, but he found a home with those who iiiailr liim
such a home as was perfectly congenial to him — with those
who ministered to his every want and looked iij) to him
with a genuine reverence.
HUs medical scholarship was profound and accurate ; l»ut
it is said, that " a certain sort of intuitive^ practical sense"
was denied him. His specialty was Ijotany ; and for his
studies in this line, he deserves our pai-tieuiar notice. Here
he had few superiors. His ac(]uaintance with the leading
botanists of this country Avas wide, and it was also intimate.
His correspondence was extensive with botanists in England,
France, Germany and other lands. He proliably had the
most complete private botanical library in the country. He
kept up his acquaintance with the classical languages; an<i
read, ^vi-ote and spoke French and German, and could read
and write Italian and Spanish.
In his practice. Dr. Robbins believed that in certain
diseases much help was to be derived from mesmerism.
He was also a believer in spiritualism and it was his dying
faith. B}' his special request. Rev. Adin Ballon, of IIo])e-
dale, conducted the funeral services in the Orthodox church,
which was filled with his acquaintances and professional
friends from this and the neighboring towns. — [Compiled
from an obituary notice puhlishtd in the Compexdil .m of
January 18(h, 1879. Ed.
APPENDIX Vn.
J. Mason Macombee, M. D.
Dr. Macomber was born in New Salem, Mass., Octol)er
11th, 1811. In " early boyhood, he not only showed a fond-
ness for books, but declared it his purpose to be educated.
Save as he went a term or two to the New Salem Academy,
he prepared himself for college as a solitary student, study-
ing much of the time in his father's kitchen, and now and
then teaching to obtain what means he must needs have
under such circumstances. At the age of twenty, he
entered Amherst College, w^here he remained one year,
when he entered Brown University, where he gi-aduated in
the class of 1835." While in college, and to accommodate
a friend, he came to Uxbridge and took charge of the
Academy ; and now began his interest in the town which
finally lead him to spend here the last years of liis life. After
leaving college, he taught in two or three academies, and in
1841, he came again to tliis place. For ten years, but not
continuously, he was principal of the Academy here. In
1851, Mr. Macomber began the study of medicine, and
was graduated from the New York Medical College in 1854.
After leaving New York, he was for five or six years
professor in the Pennsylvania Medical College in Pliiladel-
phia; and as occasion required, he assisted in filling the
chairs of some of the other professors.
Dr. Macomber had been married in 1838 to Miss
APPENDIX VII. 11<)
3firah A. Lee, of Chester, Mass., iuu\ i( was while lie was
professor in Philadelphia that his only .son and .liild, Charles
Lee, a youth of ^n-cat promise, died at the a^^e of 18. The
Doetor remained here after this sad event for a year or two,
but a settled sorrow, combined with feeble health, result<'<l
in his resignation, although the University would most
willingly have retained him in its service. In l.sdl, ho
came again to reside in this place, and here he died, Fel>-
ruary 9th, 1881. His funeral services were held in the Uni-
tarian Church, Sunday afternoon, Fei>ruary 13th, a very
large audience being present.
Dr. Macomber was Ijrought up a Baptist, and caily in
life he became a member of that church, and sometimes
preached in Baptist churches, while engaged in teaching.
His ancestral and accepted faith he gradually outgi-ew, and
became one of " the most liberal of the lil)eral christians."
The marked characteristic of his latter years was, a dcei)
interest in religious thought ; and no one was ever freer in
his expression of the extremest views than he ; — always
read}^ to receive new light and doing his best to imjjart it.
After he made Uxbridge his home ; he was a constant
attendant upon the Unitarian church, and as constiuit a
member of the Bible class in its Sunday school, ever
taking a leading part, with Bible in hand, in all that was
going on. In 1876, he was made a life member of the
American Unitarian Association ; and after the estal>hshmcnt
of the Unitarian local conferences, he was often present at
them as delegate, and frequently participated in their debates
with great earnestness. [Compiled hy the Ed. from an
obituari/ published in the Co:mpendium.
APPENDIX Vm.
Jonathan Whipple.
Jonathan Wliipple was born near the spot now occupied by
the raih-oad depot at Lonsdale, K. I. He was a hatter by trade
and served his apprenticeship in Boston. In the year 1780,
he lived in Douglas, and removed to Uxbridge in 1790. He
was a man of much dignity of manner, exceedingly hospita-
ble, and a thorough gentleman. When he lived in Douglas,
there occurred the severe winter of 1780-81. Snow fell
November 4th, 1780, on an average four feet in depth
in Massachusetts. Water from the eaves did not drop for
forty days. Friends on a visit staid six or eight weeks;
people were drawn on sleds to Mendon, where their horses
staid during the winter ; marketers from Douglas went snth.
hand-sleds to Boston, this being the only manner in which
they could go.
When General Lafoyette was passing through New Eng-
land in the time of the Revolutionary war, he called at Mr.
Whipple's in Douglas, and being in want of two horses
employed Mr. Whipple to get the horses for him. Mr.
Whipple furnished liis own horse and one belonging to a
neighbor, and the General and his suite passed on. Three
months went l^y and the horses were not returned. Learn-
ing that General Lafayette was in Boston, Mr. AATiipple
went there and called upon him with a friend. The General
APPENDIX VIII. IlM
was sha\inu^ up-slairs hut iumictliatrly caiiic down ami
inquired wIum-c lie had met them. Mr. Whipple iiitonned
him that he liinii-hcil liiiii with two horx-s ihirc months
l>efore, which had not hccii retmiicd to him. Sai<l the
General, " It is not my fault, hut the I'auh of my secre-
tary. They shall be returned to you, and I will eonipensMtc
you for the horses and pay you for your Irouhlc ;" and
ho did so to Mr. \\'hipi)le's entire satisfaction. Mr.
Whipple used to tell the story in his old a^-e with L^cal
interest. When General Lafayette visited this country in
1825, and was at the laying of the corner-stone at Bunker
Hill, Mr. AVhipple took especial pains to call ui)on him ;
and after he hud shaken hands with him, told him that
he once lent him two horses. Ui)on tiiis the General irave
him a second good shake of the hand, and Mi-. AMiipple left
him, highly gi'atified with the greet i ng ; and from this time
onward, he always related the story of the second interview
as an interesting appendix to the first.
Mr. Whipple had a strong tendency to collect all sorts of
articles with which to supply his customers. No person
who ever had an opportunity to observe his collection in the
upper story of the old shop that he occupied, will bi- likely
to forsfet it. It was a common sayimr, that one could not
ask for any article which Mr. Wliipple could not supjily.
To test the accuracy of the .statement, two frii-nds c:dle<l for
goose yokes, and were surprised to tind that they were
at once furnished.
Mr. Whii)ple married :\Iary Jennison, a daughter of Dr.
William Jennison, Avho i)racticed his profession in Mendon,
Douglas and Brooktield. Among the children, were twin
16
122 APPENDIX VIII.
brothers, who were born October 31, 1777, soon after the
surrender of Burgoyne, and who, at the urgent request of
their grandfather, were christened Liberty and Independence.
The sympathy between these two brothers was very remark-
able. When either of them spoke of any other brother, it
was, " brother Charles," or " brother Henry," or " brother
William ;" but when he spoke of his twin brother, it was
always simply, " brother." The resemblance in their per-
sonal appearance was very striking, and it required an in-
timate acquaintance to prevent mistakes in their identity.
When Independence Whipple was eleven years old, an
incident occurred which made a very strong unpression
upon him. Standing in the road near his father's house in
Douglas, he saw the equipage of Gen. Washington, which
proceeded in the following order : —
1st. A gentleman in uniform on a l^eautiful dapple-gray
horse.
2d. Two aids in uniform on dapple-gTay horses.
3d. Bay horses with two negro boys as riders ; the
horses being attached to a travelling carriage in which sate
Gen. Washington.
4th. The baggage wagon, drawn by two horses.
The boy with his native politeness exchanged salutations
with the General, and never forgot the meeting, nor the
illustrious man whom he so deeply venerated. H. C.
APPENDIX IX.
Eliiiu Brown.
Kliliu l)i-()\vii was horn in Douglas, and died in Txlu-idufo
in l.S4(), aged 7!l years. Ho marriod Nancy Thwinir of
Douglas, who died the year liefore her hiisl)and at the age of
76. Mr. BroA^^l at first liired the house formerly occu-
pied l)y j\Ir. Eoyal Jephcrson, and afterwards purchased the
estate. He was a blacksmith, and once occupied a sho})
that stood where the Academy building now stands. Mr.
Brown resided in the Jepherson house until a year or two
previous to his death, when he sold the estate in order to
pay a debt which he was determined to pay, although he
was not pressed for the payment. lie afterwards moved
back to the house, and occupie(l it a short time as a tenant ;
but he finally died in the Esq. Adams house, where he
was living with his son, Capt. Pcmbcrton Brown. He was
found dead in his l)ed, having apparently died without a
struggle.
Mr. Brown Avas a man of strong common sense, sterling
honesty, excellent judgment ; he was one who said what he
meant, and meant what he said. He did considerable town
business and his opinion was frequently sought and followed
in the afiairs of the town and neighborhood. He lived
respected and honored, and died sincerely lamented by
those who knew him. H. C
APPENDIX X.
Oksmus Taft.
Mr. Orsmus Taft died at his liome, in this town, July
8th, 1880. Here he was born on January 1st, 1795, and
here, too, he spent his life, with the excej^tion of nine or
ten years, when he was engaged in business elsewhere. j\Ir.
Taft left the ancestral farm, in the easterly part of the town,
when he was eleven years of age, to enter the woolen mill of
Daniel Day, the first mill started in this place — and he
always believed that he was the first Yankee to learn to
weave satinet. With Mr. Day he spent seven years — the
old term, in New England, of serving one's apprenticeship
at a trade. From 1819 to 1822, he was engaged in this
mill as a partner. In 1824, he had charge of the carding
and spinning department of the "Capron Mill." 'SATien the
Uxbridge Woolen Mill was started in 1825, he was inter-
ested in it as owner, and also held the position of agent for
it. In 1838, he sold his share in it to Edward Seagrave.
He soon formed a partnership with his nephew, Robert
Taft, and opened a store. His interest in this continued
until 1844, when he sold out to his nephew, and was not a
resident of the place again until 1853, when he was made
station-agent of the Providence and Worcester railroad. This
position he held for ten years, when he gave up business
AI'I'IADIX X. IlT)
altogether, and passed the rcniaiiidcr ol" his life in Ihc «|uict
of his h()iiK>, surrouiKh'd hy his rmiiily, that ever iiidst
thoughtfully and generously cared for his \s;inls. 'Ilius
quietly, cheerfully, always interest*-*! in lot-d, national
and ehureh alfairs, he eauie to his end.
" C'liccrfiil III" fjavc his Ixiii;; up, and went,
To shari! the holy rest that waits a lif<^ well si)fMt."
]\Ir. Taft was lineally descended from liohcrt Taft, the
early settler of Mendon. The order of succession is —
Robert; Robert, Jr. ; Isr.ael ; Jacob; Jacob, Jr. ; Orsnuis.
On the 28th of October, 1821, Mr. Taft married Margaret
Smith, of Mendon, who sun'ives him. Of a large number
of children, eight are now living, either in this town, or in
Pro^^dence, R. I. — \_C0m2nled hy the Editor from an
obituary notice in the Compendiuji, Jidy, 1880.
APPENDIX XI.
The Wood Family.
About a mile and a half north-east from the meeting-
hou.se, is what is known as "the city." It consists of a few
houses near the entrance of what is known as the Pudding
street road. This road leads to the town of Upton, and is
reported to have received its name fi-om the fact, that on a
certain occasion, all the inhabitants had pudding for dinner.
Whether the tradition is correct or not, the name is as well
defined and understood as Beacon street, or Pennsylvania
avenue. The large house on the north side of the old
Hartford and Boston turnpike, and easterly of the road
above referred to, was built on the spot where there was
once a tavern, probably one of the earliest in town, kept by
Mr. Ezekiel Wood, the father of the wife of Captain Emory
Wood, and grand father of Wheelock Wood and
Wood, who formerl}^ resided upon the spot. The house
was burned after it was given up as a hotel. Few facts are
now known of tliis hotel, or its owner. It is said, that
before insurance was common in this neighliorhood, the
barn of Mr. Ezekiel Wood, the former hotel-keeper, was
burned. According to the custom of the time, a subscrip-
tion was made; and among the subscribers was Captain
Samuel Kced Avho subscribed ten dollars. "\Micn Captain
Reed called to pay his subscription, Mr. Wood said
APPENDIX XI. 127
thoughtlessly, l»iil iiol vcrv (•oiiipiiiiiciil.irv (»• ihc Ln\<T. "I
yui)l)()se 1 should not Iimvc Ii.-kI tiii>, li.-nl it not Im-cm tor Mr.
Jolm Ca})r()n."' Cwptaiii lu-cd hcinir a mtlicr liiL:li->|)irilc<l
mail, sugovsttHl that if .Mr. Cai)roii was to have ihc irr.lit
of his sul)srri))ti()ii, he should hardly sui)si-ril)c a second
time. Yet how natural it is at times to ascribe an act to a
wrong motive, and to I'ancy that a kiiKhiess has not come
from the dictates of the heart of the one who iloe> the
kindness, hut from some outside influence. 'J'he "city"
was not the result of any particular husiness, hut was a set-
tlement of some members of old families, who huilt their
houses in the vicinity of the old homestead.
From ]Mr. Elias Wheelock, who was brought up in the
eastern part of the town, and married a daughter of Mr.
Samuel Wood, I learned that Dexter A\'ood, — the father of
Samuel and Uncle Ezeldel Wood, as we used to call him, —
and Ezekiel Wood who kept the hotel at the "city," were
brothers. Dexter lived on the Pudding street road, in the
house now occupied by James S. Fanuim and fonnerly
occupied by Samuel Wood and Amariah A. ^\'ood. David
Wood, with whom Mr. Wheelock was brought up, lived in
the house formerly owned by Luke Taft, and more recently
by Amariah A. Wood. Da\id Wood was a brother of
Solomon Wood, M'ho formerl}' lived in Mcndon, and was
the father of the late Obadiah AVood of Milfonl : was also
the father of the late Nathan AVood of Alilford, familiarly
known, as "Uncle Nathan." Mrs. Luke Taft and Mrs.
Keuben AA'ood were daughters of David AVood. Josiali
Wood formerly lived on the place now occui)icd by Luke
S. Farnum. He was the fother of Sumner ^\■o()d, Captain
128 ArrENDix xi.
Emory AVood, Mrs. Daniel Carpenter, Mrs. Cummings, the
mother of Josiah Cummings, and others. Dexter AVood
and Ezekiel Wood were brothers-in-law to Col. Ezra AVood
of Upton, the father of Mrs. Col. Fletcher of Northbridge,
and Mrs. Frederic Taft of Uxbridge. Mr. AVheelock is
unable to give the name of the father of Josiah AA'ood, but
my opinion is, he was a brother of Col. Ezra Wood above
ntmicd. From Mr. AVheelock, I learn further, that Josiah
Wood was a Universalist ; that he had frequently heard liim
announce at the old meeting-house in Uxbridge, that a
Universalist meetinsf would })e held at — and time and
place were mentioned. He also informed me, that David
Wood, Solomon AVood and Obadiah AVood, the above named
brothers, lived in different towns and that each resided
at the end of the road that led to his house. It must be
quite a convenience to know that a traveller is coming to see
you. This can generally be accomplished by living at the
end of the road. The large house, on the old turnpike
west of the Pudding street road, was foiTQerly owned l)y a
family by the name of Rist. One of the sons was a
bachelor ; one was Thaddeus Rist, the father of Judge Rist,
who died in Alabama ; and Esbon C. Rist, who died in
Uxbridge. The red house, formerly owned by Dea. Bul-
lard, was built by Hatter Ezekiel AA'ood, so called, who
formerly lived a short distance beyond the Daniel Farnum
place. "Hatter" Ezekiel was the son of Ezekiel AVood and
a half-brother of the wife of Cq.Y)\.. Emory AA'ood.
Reuben Wood was not a native of Uxbridge, but came
from the State of A^ermont. The relationship between his
children and the Luke Taft famil)- came by way of their
mother. H. C.
APPENDIX XIT.
Ironstone.
Tlic Village of Ironstone is situated on I-'oi-ge Brook in
the south part of Uxbridge. The Bnjok takes its iimmio
from the fact, that about one hundred and forty years ago
Benjamin Taft erected a forge and dam there, and the dam
of the Ironstone Factory pond is hut an enlargement of the
first one. "Forge Brook" is mentioned in the town records
of 1734. A few years previous to 1800, (history nor tradi-
tion is very clear about the date), there were a saw-mill and
trip-hammer shop near the liead of Ironstone pond, which
was occupied by Caleb Handy. Tradition says he made
guns, sc\i:hes and other useful articles. In 1813, William
Bacon, son of Miles Bacon, who was many years ago the old
tavern-keeper at Slatersville, purchased the privilege of
Samuel Buxton. Mr. Bacon first put in a spinning frame or
two, and spun cotton yarn for the late Jolm Slater of Slaters-
ville, R. I. Mr. Bacon sul)scquently erected a foundry at
this place ; and in 1823 and '24 made satinet power-looms ;
also, castings for Col. Joseph Ray of Mendon.
Forge Brook has two branches. The south branch has
no name, or history, except that Scth Wheelock in 1S24
or '25, put up a building there for carding wool into rolls
for the neighl)oring farmers. The other ])ranch is called
" Goodstone Brook, " because the stone u])on its margin was
17
130 APPENDIX XII.
good for various purposes. Here, Thomas B. Shove, pre-
vious to 1800, erected a l)lacksmith shoj) and set up a trip-
hammer, nearly on the site of the shop of the late Daniel H.
Aldrich.
Ironstone Factory was built in 1815. It was a company
enterprise, the stock l)eing divided into thirty-two shares,
without any determined value. Dr. Ezekicl Comstock
subscribed for eleven shares ; Daniel Jencks ten shares ;
Joseph Smith one share ; Moses Farnum five shares ; Wil-
liam Arnold three shares, and Tillson Aldrich two shares.
The three last named stockholders were citizens of
Uxbridge. The first cotton yarn both spun and wove in
Uxbridge Avas from this mill. This yarn was woven into
cloth at home by the "fly-shuttle" loom, of which improve-
ment in weaving, David Knight of Smithficld, E. I., was
the inventor. This mode of weaving cloth directed the
attention of Moses and Darius D. Farnum to manufacturing
pursuits. The first superintendent of the mill was Tillson
Aldrich. About 1820, William Arnold became the owner
of the Ironstone manufacturing property. He increased
the water-power l)y the erection of a reservoir of considera-
ble dimensions ; built two tenement houses and a store ; and
through his influence a post-ofl&ce was opened, — John Brad-
ley, of stage-driving fame, bringing and carrying the
mails. Mr. Arnold manufactured cotton cloth for several
years, and in 1832 the factory was burned. The factory
property passed from WilUam Arnold to Samuel Shove ;
from INIr. Shove to Jonathan F. Southwick ; from j\Ir.
Southwick, one-half to Albert Fairbanks, the other half to
Charles A. Messinger. The factory was rebuilt, and Fair-
APPENDIX MI. 131
banks and Mcssin^j-ci- inamir:i(turf<l KintinUy jeans fur
some years. After llic deicix- of Mr. l'airl>anks. the
property passed into the hands of M<'.ssini:er and Ksty.
The factory was Imrned airain in l.sti.'), and in \>>M, \\u'
property was purchased of MessiiiL^er and ll»iy, I)y Me»rs.
J. C. Keith and Co., who houirht, at the same time, of
Jonathan F. Southwick, the mill l»elo\v. ,Iohn ('. Scott, of
Millvillc, soon purchased of Mr. Keith hi> >hare (»f the
property, and Mr. Scott and Stc})hen H. licnxin Ixcame
the o\nicrs of it.
11. C, AM) Kditok.
APPENDIX Xm.
MANUrACTURING .
It is -well known that Samuel Slater, about 1790, was the
first to manufacture cotton goods in this country ; but it is
not so generally known, that John and Arthur Schofield, who
came from England in March, 1793, introduced the manu-
facture of woolen goods ; an interesting account of which may
be found in a Report made in 1871, to the " Rhode Island
Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry," by
Royal C. Taft, of Providence, R. I.
In this report, Mr. Taft takes notice that it was begun in
Uxbridge by Daniel Day ; but no account of it appears in
the very elaborate " History of American Manufactures
from 1608 to 1860," by J. Lander Bishop, A.M., M.D.,
Philadelphia, 1864. It might reasonably be expected that
Mr. Taft would do justice to his native town about a matter
of this kind, in which liis father and all his relatives have
been so actively engaged.
He says :
"In 1809, Daniel Day built his first mill in Uxliridge,
Mass., size twenty by forty feet, two stories liigh, and in
the same year put in a carding machine and picker for the
purpose of carding rolls for home manufacture. In the
spring of 1811, he built an addition to the mill of twenty-
five by thirty feet, three stories liigh, and in July put in a
billy and jenny for spinning. In Sei^tcmber, he added a
hand-loom ; early in 1812, he put in another loom, and dur-
AI»PENDIX XIII. 133
inu: the year ;i(1(1(m1 Wwvo iiiori', iimkini; five looms in nil.
The same kind ot" a picker was used as is in use at the pres-
ent time. It was oi)erate(l l)y a pickcr-strinir altacluMl to a
picker-stick held in the hand, wliili! tlu; liarnesses were
oj^erated hy the feet ot" the weaver."
By " the same kind of a picker," etc., is meant the
mechanism used l)y the weaver to throw the shuttle. This
" same kind" might equally well he api)lic(l to the picker
mentioned in eonnection with the canhnir inacliine, there
being no praetieal dillerence in the operation of the common
wool-picker of to-day and then, ])ut nuicli ditference in the
mechanical perfection of its construction.
Some three years since, in looking over some old papers
of my father's Avhich came into my hands on the decease of
my mother, I found a receipt of which the following is a
copy:
" UxBRiDGE, August 27th, 1811.
Rec'd of Jerry Wheelock seventy-tive dollars in part pay-
ment for the picking and carding machine I have lately
built and put in opperation in the shop of Mr. Daniel Day
in Uxbridge. Akteimas Dryden, Jr."
Here we have a glimpse of the beginning of the woolen
manufacture in Uxl)ridge ; and, as I believe, of the tirst
woolen carding machine and picker built in Worcester
county. I am inchned to think fi-oni Dryden's receipt, and
from some papers I have examined in which some account of
this machinery would l)e likely to appear, had its date been
as early as 1809, that the date given by Mr. Taft should be
1810, instead of 1809 ; 1810, was the year in which the first
mill was built, as I have been informed both l)y my father
and my mother. I prefer to claim the earlier date, but with
the knowledge I have, I cannot do it.
134 APPENDIX XIII.
In this same year, 1810, as I was told ])y Charles A.
Thwing, now deceased, in a conversation I had with him
several years since, the first movement was made towards
the manufacturino; of cotton jjoods in Uxl)ridi;e. This was
first seen in building the works of the " Uxbridge Cotton
Mills " in that year l)y Mr. Clapp, — Ebenezer, I presume, as
I find his name somewhat prominent then in town matters.
This statement, if correct, and I have no doubt it is so, as
Mr. Thwing was a native of North Uxbridge, and almost
always a resident there, as his father was, and was of suffi-
cient age to have some slight recollection of operations so
prominent as these must have been — this statement shows
the beginning of the cotton and woolen manufacture in this
town to be co-eval.
The billy and spinning jenny were made by Arthur Scho-
field, of Pittsfield, Mass. Mr. Schofield, with his brother
John, built and put into operation a carding machine in By-
field, Mass., in 17i)3, which was the first one erected in this
country.
The ' ' old billy ! " Does any one remember it, and its to^)-
roll which would at times come a little too close to the heads
of those boys and girls who were always faithful to their
work ?
As all the weavins: at this time was done on hand-looms
for some years after the erection of this mill, looms Avere set
up in houses and in shops built for the purpose, till they be-
came almost as common as were the shoe-shops a few years
since.
Sometimes, jennies were set up for the purpose of spin-
ning the yarn used for filling. The principal goods made
APPENDIX XIII. 135
being satinet, the w:irp was of" eotlon yarn olttaiiicd at tin;
cotton mills, ( )!" coiii-sc, llic yai'u used for lilling (ov tin;
ro})ing when the si)innang was done in the shops) was pro-
cured at the mills where there were earding maehines.
The embargo, and the war with England following, created
a demand for manufactm'cd goods whiili the ^'aiikcc nation
was not sloW' to endeavor to supply ; and as a conscciucnce, it
suffered for being too eager to make money on the closing
of the Avar and the re-establishment of commercial relations
with England.
The next attempt at woolen manufacturing was mad(! by
the Rivulet Manufacturing Company, Avhicli was incoiixira-
ted in 181(5, although the company was formed and ImiM-
ings erected in 1814, and the business of manufacturing was
begun in the A^ntcr of 1814 and '15. The capital paid in
was $14,000; the shares were $500 each. It was agreed
that no dividend should be paid until the exi)irati()n of eight
years, a most wise provision to make in this instance. As
a matter of fact, no dividend was ever paid ; and when the
business was closed up, the stockholders received little, if
any, more than half the amount paid in and without interest.
Is the question asked, Why was the act of incorporation
delayed so long, or Avhy was the company incorporated at
all, or what advantage was it to the individual iucnil»crs of
the company? When the company entered upon its liusi-
ness, it was found necessary, as it frequently is now% to use
process of hnv to collect accounts for goods sold. To begin
a suit required the name of every meml)cr of an un-incor-
porated company to a})pear in the writ. Any failiu-c in this
respect would invalidate the writ and make it necessary to
136 APPENDIX XIII.
begin again. In the meantime, the delator had an oppor-
tunity to put his property into the hands of a favored credi-
tor, ])ut an act of incorporation enabled a company to do
business by an agent ; to sue and be sued ; but gave indi-
vidual corporators no advantages whatever, above what they
would have enjoyed as simple corporators. It thus became a
simple co-operative association, with power to act by an
agent instead of being obliged to act by all the members of
the company.
The original meml)ers of the company were, Daniel Car-
penter, Samuel Read, Ejihraim Spring, Alpheus Baylies,
John Capron, Jerry Wheelock, Samuel Judson, Joseph H.
Perry, Thomas Farnum and Esband Newell. The two last-
named persons, I think, soon surrendered their shares to
the other members of the company. Daniel Carpenter was
a merchant, and had been engaged in trade outside of an
ordinary country merchant's trade, wliich well fitted him
for the position he was now to assume — that of agent.
Samuel Read was a farmer, hotel-keeper, and owner
of the privilege on which the mill was to be built. Eph-
raim Spring was also a farmer, and owner of real estate
available for business purposes, besides having a son desir-
ous of becoming a manufacturer in some of its branches.
Alpheus Baylies was a farmer with sons who wished to be-
come manufacturers. John Capron was a clotliier by ti*ade,
cloth-finisher and dyer, whose proposition to the company
will appear by-and-by. Jerry Wheelock was a mechanic,
and one of the original Daniel Day company, and well
acquainted with the construction and operation of machinery,
and with the management of stock, which would fit liim for
APPENDIX XIII. 187
the pliU'O of SuiKMiiilciKk'iit. lu'v. S.umicl JikIsou, ihi;
Congi-CiTJitioiial iuiiii>tiT, was, so far as I know, tlic only
man Avho might 1)0 considorod a capitalist. He joined tli«-
comi)any for the sake of the prolits from his investment,
and a poor investment it proved. Joseph II. Perry was u
young man Avho came from Dudley, Mass., and had money
enough to take a share in the company and have an oj)p()r-
tunity to learn a trade. These men were all of moderate
means, of sterling intcgi-ity and good busine.ss <|ualitication.s
and intelligence. Surely such men were, and are now, the
very men and the only men lit to tr^' the co-operative princi-
ple in business. This was a co-operativo association —
nothing more, nothing less.
John Capron came to Uxbridge near the close of the last
century. The first mention of his name that I have noticed
on the tow^n books, is as one of the committee to superin-
tend the building of the school-houses of 1797. He had
acquired the trade of a custom clothier at the Cargill niill in
Pomfret, now Putnam, Conn. He i)urchased the Col. Kead
estate and water-power, and set up the l>usiness of finishing
the cloth woven in families in this vicinity. This will
account for the following proi)osition :
" At an adjourned meeting of the Rivulet Manufacturing
Company, holden January 2d, 1S15, at Capt. Samuel
Read's, I made the following proposition to the meeting in
order to join said company, viz., that 1 would take shares
to the amount of $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, or $2,500, and give
my note to the company on interest ; then to do the dyeing
of all the w^ool and the dressing of all the cloth for the com-
pany, at the common jn-ice of doing the same, till I had paitl
for as many shares as they should choose 1 should take wiiji
them, and that all charges for the same should be endorsed
18
138 APPENDIX xni.
on my note at the end of every ninety days from the begin-
ning till the whole Ijc paid ; that I should then ])e entitled
to the same value of dyeing and dressing cloth, for which
said company are to pay me at the end of every ninety days ;
that is to say, that I shall do or cause to be done, in man-
ner as above stated, work to the value of $5,000 in the
whole.
Then it was voted unanimously that I should take five
shares, Ijeing the liighest sum I had proposed, and in every
respect agi'eeable to the foregoing proposition.
Uxbridge, March 24th, 1815. John Capron."
It is therefore easy to be seen why John Capron became
a co-operator in this company.
Artemas Dry den, Jr., made the carding macliine and
picker for this company ; and John and George Carpenter
of this town built the billy and jennies, — the first machinery
built in this town, unless they had previously built a jenny
for Daniel Day. The weaving was all done by hand-looms,
and the goods were chiefly satinets, although some broad-
cloths and cassimeres were made.
Cotton manufiicturing kept pace with the woolen ; and
this same year, 1814, the Ironstone Mill was built, on Iron-
stone Brook, in the south part of the town, by William
Arnold and others. There had been, somewhere on this
brook in former years, a forge, and an excellent quality of
iron was made fi-om the bog iron-ore found in the vicinity.
1 have heard Elihu Brown, a blacksmith weU qualified to
judge, and who carried on the business in Uxbridge thirty
years or more, say, that the best iron he ever used came
from that forge. This iron-making gave the name to the
brook and village. Only a small amount of ore was found
here, and of course the forge was abandoned.
APPENDIX XI IF. l.l'J
I Imvc made thus far no nicntion of iUr fini.slnnjr of
woolen goods, except in the proposition of John Capron,
ah-eady quoted. This was then, as now, a very important
part of the work of manufacturini]^, and at that time? the
most of it was done by Mr. Capron. Some <:ooiU how-
ever, were finished hy other persons. I have found among
the ohl papers before mentioned, a bill of Benjamin Cnig-
gin of Douglas, against Daniel Day and Company, of
September 23d, 1813 :
"For Dressing 24 yds. wool cloth,
N. Blue, at^^o' $<5,00
For FuUing and Dressing 17 J
yds. Satinet, at ^^%, $3,40
$0,40."
The above prices for finishing are as much as the entire
price of manufiicturing has been, except during the war,
for the last twenty years.
After this time, for a few years, there were no mills
erected in this toTvn, but important improvements were
made in the constructioji of machinery.
On the expiration of the contract with John Capron, the*
Rivulet company proceeded to put in finishing machinery,
and among other tilings a shearing machine witii a revolv-
ing blade, or cutter, to be driven by power, then a recent
invention of William Hovey of Worcester. It would be a
great curiosity to see the shears used previous to this inven-
tion of Hovey. No one of the present day would have
any conception of what it w^as for, or how it was to be
used. I never saw but one paii", and that was when I
was quite young. It was not then in use, and I can give
no description of it.
140 APPENDIX XIII.
The bol)])in Avindcr came into use duiing this period, by
which one person could wind as many bol>ljins as six or
eight could do on the old quill-wheel. The bobbin winder
was not long used, for it was soon found that the yarn
might as well be spun and run directly upon the bobl)in, as
to run it upon a cop (as it was called) , and then wind it
upon the bobbin.
The napping machine came next, much the most import-
ant invention then made. Previous to the introduction of
this machine, the nap of woolen, and other kinds of cloth,
was raised by means of jacks — that is, cards similar in fonn
but smaller and closer set than the hand-cards for carding
cotton or wool, that at the present day may sometimes be
found. The cloth was stretched tightly on a fi-ame and the
operator raised the nap by drawing the card lengthways
upon it. This was a hard and slow process, and required
much skill and care on the part of the workmen to produce
a smooth and equal nap over the piece, without leaving any
tender spots in the goods. I should add that teasels were
also set in " hands," as I think they were called, and used
in the same manner as the jacks. Some time in the sum-
mer of 1819, Luke Baker, from Putney, Vermont, came to
my father's with a new macliine for doing this work by
means of a revolving cylinder, on which the cards or teasels
were to be fixed, to be operated by power, the cloth to pass
backward and forward under the cylinder, and in contact
with the cards, or teasels, and thus by a continuous process
raising the nap more rapidly, producing as good a face and
with more certainty than could the most sldllful worlcman.
INIy father took a license from ]\Ir. Baker to make and to
ArPKNI)!:: Mil. Ill
sell the machines, and iniinciliatcly cnhTcd upon (he husi-
ness of their manut'aetiire and sale. The nrw luachinoH
"vvcnt into inuni'diale uso in most of ilic mills of tin- coniilv,
and in Rhode Island, whrw he \va> aiitliori/.cd lo st-ll tlinu.
Who the inventor of this machine was, 1 never knew ; Inil I
think it^vas pro])al)ly a "Yankee notion," as in a K-ttcr from
Mr. Baker, "smtten in January, lf527, I find the followin'/ :
" I have lately heen ac(|uainted with an JCnirlishnian who
has worked in Eniiland for many years in the hnsiness of
manufactm-ing woolen cloth; he informs me that he never
saAV a napping machine that worked both ways (l)ackward
and forward), either with cards or teasels, until he came to
this country."
I think this is tolerable evidence that it was a Yankee
invention. How unlikely that a Yankee would work all
day scratching cloth with the small result gained by the old
process ! On the contrary, the English workman has always
been willing to use the same machine, to do as his father
and sfrandfather have done before him, until fairlv forced
ti'om it l)y circumstances over which he has no control.
The next mill built was the Cain-on mill, thirty-three by
sixty feet, and three stories high. I think it nuist have
been built in 1821 (perhaps in 1820), and it went into
operation in the \\inter of 1821 and '22, or the spring of
1822. It was started A\ith one set of cards, made by
Artemas Dryden, Jr. ; one billy of forty spindles ; two
jennies of one hundred and twenty spindles each, I)uilt by
the Messrs. Carpenter; t^vo cotton spinning-frames of sixty-
four spindles each, with the preparation and a warper and
di-esser for making satinet warps ; and twelve power satinet
142 APPENDIX XIII.
looms ; — the first satinet power-looms ever built, it has been
said. The engineer, in the construction of this mill, was
Luke Jillson, of Cumberland, K. I., who was, as I have
reason to believe, the planner of the looms, which were
built on the premises.
I do not know who built the cotton machinery. In 1824,
an addition of a set of cards, built by Dry den ; a billy of
fifty spindles, and a jenny of a hundred and twenty spin-
dles, built by the Messrs. Carpenter ; a jenny of one hun-
dred and fifty spindles, built by Jerry Wheelock ; eight sati-
net looms, two cotton cards, and two spinning frames of
sixty-four spindles each, built by Armsby and Arnold of
Woonsocket, R. I., were made. These looms were of an
entirely difierent construction from those built by Jillson,
and were used in mills for some twenty-five or thirty years.
There was no real diiference in the construction of the other
machinery used, but the number of spindles in the billy and
jenny was increased.
In the autumn of this year, the dams were built for the
Luke Taft mill, — now Wheelock's, — and the Uxbridge
Woolen, — now W. D. Davis', — also to carry the water of
the West River to the mill of INIr. Day. The next year,
1825, witnessed the erection of the Luke Taft mill, thirty-
four by sixty feet, three stories high ; the Uxbridge Woolen
mill, thirty-six by eighty feet, three stories high; and an
addition to the Day mill, making it forty by forty-five feet,
three stories high. Two sets of cards, buUt by Dryden, were
put into the Taft mill, ^dth roping and spinning machinery
equivalent, and twenty power satinet looms of the Jillson
style, with some slight improvement, Paine and Ray makers ;
APPENDIX Mil. 143
ten satinet looms ])y the same makers, in the Day miH.—tho
eards hoini: already in that miil ; ;iii.l in tin- i:x»>ri«l«,'o
Woolen mill, two sets of cards l.y Drydcn; two l.iilit'.s,
forty spindles each ; two warp jennies, ei<;hty spindles ea<h ;
two tilling jennies of a hundred and twenty spindles each,
made by A\'lieeloek ; and ten jwwer eassimere looms, made
by Paine and Kay. Taft's and Day's mills were started in
the winter of 1825, and the rxl.rid-e Woolen mill late in
the autumn of 1826.
In August, 1828, the Uxbridge AVoolen mill was burned ;
and within a week, a woolen mill was burned in Milford and
another in East Douglas. Much alann was felt by manu-
facturers at so sudden a destruction of factory propei-ty,
and in a way they were unprepared to account for. It was
a time when the country had become much excited on the
subject of duties for the protection of domestic industry.
So sudden and unaccountable w^ere these tires, that the
opinion was expressed by some, that the English manufac-
turers had emissaries here who were to burn the woolen
mills, recollecting the old threat of the British minister,
that " he would not allow America to make a hol)-nail."
Of course, there was no occasion for these sunnises, as
these fires were undoubtedly cases of spontaneous combus-
tion. The Uxbridofe Woolen mill was inmiediatelv re-built,
forty by eighty feet, three stories liigh, with an attic, and
built of brick.
The new machinery placed in this mill shows the pro-
gress which had been made in the manufacture of woolen
goods. After the original mill was liuilt, aii«l before
the erection of the new one, the (ioulding patent for
144 APPENDIX XIII.
improvement in carding and spinning wool had been so far
perfected, that it was coming into general use.
[Mr. Wheelock here gives a description of the old and
the new methods of carding and spinning, which, if we were
giving a history of manufacturing, would find a welcome
place ; but we reluctantly feel compelled to omit it. — Ed.]
The chano;e made from the old to the new methods of
carding and spinning, allowed wider carding machines
to be used ; and nearly all that are now made are
douljlc the width of those used under the old regime
"How so?" you ask. Because no child, eight or ten
years old, could take up more than a handful of rolls about
two feet long, and hold them so as not to drag on the
floor, but by raising the arm so high as to make it very
fatiguing ; while to let them drag on the floor would stretch
the rolls so as to spoil the evenness of the yarn. So in
carding ; the work of two hands was done by one ; besides
power was saved, as there could be but half the number
of bearings to make friction. Again, it would save the
work of a man to run the billy, and of three children to
piece rolls, who ought not to be in the mills under any cir-
cumstances. In the interest of the childi'en then, it was a
great and much needed improvement.
There was another improvement that came into use at
this time ; and it had been used in the Uxbridge Woolen
mill about a month, when the mill was burned. I refer
to the woolen warper and dresser, by which the process
of making and sizing the warps to prepare them for the
looms was done by macliinery, instead of by hand, as
formerly, thereby saving certainly one man's labor.
Al'I'KNDIX Xm. It.')
The canliiiir anil spinning: luachiiu-rv in tin- new \v(M)U'ii
mill was inado l)y \\a>lilmni and (ioddar*! of Woivestrr,
mIk), a short lime picvions to this, had ('stal)li>lu'<l the
business of huildinij woolen niachincrv. They w<'ir mm
of enterpiise and iniriMUiily, and provided th» inselves with
the best tools and the most desirable patterns for machinery,
and they soon did the most of that kind of work, whi.h for
many years had IxH'n done by Dryden. ,b)>cph I)a\- now
doubled his inaehinery, puttini;- in the Goulding patent ; the
carding machines were made by A\'ashburn and Goddard,
the spimiing jacks by Jerry A\'hecloek, and the looms by
the Messrs. Carpenter.
The disastrous times of 1828 and '29, together with the
large investments made in the Blackstone Canal, which
proved a wholly unproductive enterprise, caused the fiihu-e
of the Messrs. Capron. The sons, by means of the a>>i>l-
ance of wealthy friends, succeeded in hberating their father
from the habihties he had incuiTed as the head of the firm
of John Capron and Sons, and resumed the business of
manufixctui'ing. They changed their machinery to the im-
proved machinery made by Goulding, and were so success-
ful as to Avarrant them, in 183(5, in doubling the size of
their mill.
During this decade, the Ironstone Cotton mill was Imrnt.
It was re-built by Jonathan F. Southwick, and put into ojiera-
tion by Albert Fairbanks, Sanuiel Shove, and Charles A.
Messenger, at tirst on satinets and afterwards on cashmerets,
of which they made a superior quality for many years.
The financial storm of 1837, scarcely left a business man
standing squarely on his feet in the valley of the IJIack-
19
146 APPENDIX XIII.
stone ; and although many went under for a time, most of
them came to the surface again struggling desperately for
success.
In 1834, Jerry A^Tieelock, who, up to this time had made
jacks and other woolen machinery, found it impossible to
compete with the large capital of the Worcester machinists
and gave up the building of machinery. He turned his
machine shop, which was in the old Day mill, into a
woolen yarn factory, under the fiim of J. Wheelock and
Son. In 1837, they hired room and power at the Uxbridge
Woolen mill, and doubled their machinery. In 1840, they
bought one-half of the Luke Taft mill, taking into the busi-
ness S. M. Wheelock, making the lirm J. Wheelock and
Sons. After the purchase of one-half of this mill, in 1840,
by J. Wheelock and Son, the other half was run by Moses
Taft till he sold out to C. A. and S. M. Wheelock, in 1846.
The mill formerly standing on this spot, owned by Luke
Taft, had been burned, in the winter of 1837 and '38, but
was immediately re-built and improved machinery intro-
duced.
The Uxbridge Woolen Manufiicturing Company was an
incorporated company, receiving its charter in the winter of
1826 and '27. The original members of the company,
were Amariah Chapin, Koyal Chapin, Dr. George Willard,
John and Orsmus Taft. These men were all relatives, and
owners of the land on which the mill and most of the other
necessary buildings, and tenements for the employes, would
stand, and of the most of the land through which the canal
to convey the water to the mill would run. The ISIessrs.
Chapin were merchants and active business men, fiither and
\
\
APPENDIX XIII. 1 17
son. The Messrs. 'I'mI'i were hi-otlicrs, liotli of tlinii were
manufiic'turors, ami li;i<l Itccii iiiort' or less on<rii^iMl in the
maiiuf act lire of woolen iroods for several years.
The tirst weavers employed by Daniel Day, I think wero
Irish by birth, and had all the virtues and all the viees of
Irishmen. These habits would mak(! it desirable that one
should have more reliable persons as operatives, in order
to carry on manuliutuiMiii:' successfully, or, in taet, any
other business, and therefore Orsmus Taft, a younir nian,
and a neighbor of Mr. Day, accepted an oiler to go into tln;
mill to work at what was considered, by some of his friends
and the Irishmen, rather low wages. But he thought, " let
those laugh who win;" and in about a year he had charge
of the weaving, and now Yankees generally took, the places
of the Irish.
In the autumn of 1837, Orsmus Taft and Samuel Smith
sold the shares they held in the stock of the Uxbridge
"Woolen company, to Edward Seagravc and Lyman Coj)-
land. Royal Chapin gave up the agency of the mill to
Seagrave, and in a short time sold his shares. I do not
remember how Amariah Chapin's stock was disposed of;
but on the failure of Dr. Willard, his stock was sold at
auction, to settle his estate, about the year 1842 or '43, and
brought the vast sum of forty-five dollars for that which
had cost him four thousand five hundred dollars — nine
shares. We see in this an instance of the ill-fortune
which attended manufiicturers as the business had thus far
been developed. Cassimeres were at first manufactured at
this mill, afterwards satinets, and in 1844, it again changed
to cassimere, and since then has continued a cassimere
148 APPENDIX XIII.
mill. Mr., Coplnnd <rt\yc up the superintendence of the
Uxbridgc Woolen mill in 1844, and Avas succeeded by J.
W. Day, for some three or four years, when the manufac-
turing business was practically given up by the corporation,
and the mill was operated for about ten years by Messrs.
M. D. F. Steere and Josiah Seagrave, not however without
reverses and heavy losses. The mill was enlarged about
the year 1850, and the machinery increased to twelve sets
of cassimere machinery, with about fifty looms, most of
them the Crompton fancy loom. In February, 1852, the
mill was again destroyed by fire. It was immediately
re-built and filled with the most improved cassimere
machinery then known. In 1854, Mr. Seagrave became
pecuniarily embaiTassed, and Mr. Carnoe took his place.
The firm was now Steere and Carnoe for tsro or three
years, when Mr. Seagi"ave resumed his place in the mill.
He was, however, unable to withstand the crisis of 1857,
and, although he made an earnest effort to go on again, it
was in vain, — everything seemed to turn against him. Mr.
Steere received an offer, in the winter of 1857, to take
charge of the Salisbury mills, which he accepted, and left
Uxbridge.
In February, 1859, the finishing mill and dye-house were
destroj^ed by fire. This was another seiious blow to one so
harassed and perplexed, and although Mr. Seagrave suc-
ceeded in re-building, by means of the insurance, he was
unable to continue the business and soon after died. The
property passed into the hands of Messrs. J. C. Howe and
Co., of Boston, and after standing idle a year or more, was
sold to its present oAvner, W. D. Davis, of Providence, R.
.\|'It:m>ix Mil. 149
I., mIk) took it jii-t ill time to rcfcivc the :nlv:mt:ii:rs the
"Nvar iriivc to iii:iiiiif:i(tiMcrs. Alioiit isd.s, .Mp. havis .s(»l<l
tlic mill to Messrs. \t. :iii(l ,1. T.it"!, who iii;i<lr vcrv exten-
sive repairs, additions aiul improvements; and aWcv runnin;;
the mill two or three years, thev re-sold it to Mr. Davis, who
still owns it and has run eii;lit or nine sets of maehinerv a
part of the time since he re-lioii-ht it. This mill has lieen
a very costh' one lor its owners, being several tim(\s liunied.
Three mills, three barns, two dwelling-houses, and two dry-
houses, have been destro3ed by tire, I)esides numerous
smaller losses in the same wa}'.
The old Day mill, the tirst mill built in town, was liunit
in 1844, and was re-buiU in the course of a yeai- or two.
On being re-built, J. W. Day, son of Jo-eph Day, havinir
left the Ux})ridge AVoolen mill, ran it for four or tive years.
In 1844, J. Wheelock and Sons put in looms, and j)ut one-
half of their yarn machinery into the manufacture of j)laid
flannels. In 1840, Charles A. and Silas M. AVheeloek
bought of Moses Taft, the part of the mill owned by him,
and Jerry AMieelock retiring from business, the tirm of
C. A. and S. M. Wheelock was formed. They continued
to manufacture satinets and jdaids till 1S,')2, when they
made alterations and additions to their mill, and \ni{ in
additional machinery and fancy looms, but di<l not begin
the manufacture of cassimeres solely, until is.'),"). In l,s54,
a steam engine was put into the mill as auxilliary to the
water power, the lirst engine set up in this town for manu-
facturing purposes. In 1851), additional machinery was
putMnto the nn'll. In 1872, additional buildings were put
up, and soon more machinery was introdueeil, with self-
150 APPENDIX XIII.
operating jacks and mules, in place of hand-jacks, — these
self-operating machines having recently come into success-
ful use. At this time this mill is equipped with five full
sets of fancy cassimere machinery.
After selling his share of this mill to C. A. and S. M.
Wheelock, Moses Taft left manufacturing till the winter of
1846 and '47, when he hired a mill in Bumllville, and with
Samuel W. Scott, who had been in his employment for sev-
eral years, again went into the manufacture of satinets,
which he continued till the winter of 1849 and '50, when
this mill was burned. The next year, in company with J.
W. Day, whose name has been mentioned in connection
with the Uxliridge Woolen mill, under the firm of Taft and
Day, he hired the Capron mill and continued the same
business for some years, when Dea. William C. Capron
was admitted to the firm, making it Taft, Day and Co.
Tliis firm was shortly changed to Taft and Capron, by the
withdrawal of J. W. Day, and so continued till about 1862,
when Messrs. R. and J. Taft, who had long been in business
as merchants, bought them out and continued the business
until after the close of the war, when their lease expired.
Messrs. Henry and Charles C. Capron took the mill for a
few years. On the withdrawal of Charles C. Capron, Wil-
liam E. Hay^vard entered into copartnership with Henry
Capron, and the mill has since been run by Capron and
Hayward.
After the burning of the mill run by Moses Taft in Bur-
rillville, he took measures to secure the water rights and
land for what is now known as the Centi-al mill, bought the
canal of the old Blackstone Canal comi)any, and laid the
\
APPENDIX XIII. 151
l<)un(l;ilion Tor the mill in the Mulimiii of 1n.')2. It whh
completed the next year and leased to Israel M. Soiitinvick
and Richard Sayles, under the n.iiiif of Soiitiiwick and
Sayles, who continued to iiiii the iiiill till ls')'.i, wlicii
they sold out their lease to Hradlonl, Taft <Sc Co., of Trovi-
dence, R. I., Mr. Sayles eontinuin;.^ to superintend the niill
till his health foiled some time in 18()2 or '(53. I)anii-1 \V.
Taft then took the superintendency of the mill, aiwl t-oii-
tinued so until he took the lease in his own name, in lH(ii».
Messrs. R. and J. Taft bought the mill i)roperty of Moses
Taft about IbGo, and made extensive additions to the power
in 1866, by building a new dam, and in 1875, they made an
addition to the mill and built a new dye-house, making the
mill suitable for ten sets of machinery for making fancy
cassimeres — fancy cassimeres having always been made in
this mill. They had put in an eight3'-horsc power steam
engine, some two years previous to this time, to supply
power while making repairs, which had become necessary
on account of the breaking of their dam. The}' have now
ample power in the dry est season.
After the burning of the factory in Burrillvillc, in the
wnnter of 1849 and '50, Samuel W. Scott returned to
Uxbridge, and the next year took a lease of the Day mill
and ran it by the yard, and has run it on contract, and on
his own account, up to the present time. lie bought the
mill and farm about 1859 or '60. It was burnt in the sum-
mer of 1878, and immctliately re-built in an enlarged and
greatly improved manner, with first-class machinery in every
respect, for maldng satinets, which has always been the
fabric made here. The mill has tliree sets of cards, forty-
152 APPENDIX XIII.
eight inches wide, three seli-opcrating mules and twenty-six
looms. It is run by J. li. Scott and Co., Samuel W. Scott
superintending the mill.
After selling the lease of the Central mill to Bradford,
Taft and Co., Israel M. Southwick continued to make the
repairs at tliat mill, as he had previously done when in
compaity with R. Sayles, until about 18G5 or '6(y, wiien
again, in company with R. Sayles, they bought the old
Rivulet mill, enlarged it to more than t^vice its former size,
put in steam-power and fitted it up to receive machinery.
Mr. Southwick then sold his right to Zadok A. Taft.
Messrs. Sayles and Taft then put in machinery and leased
it to parties from Providence, for making knitting yarn,
and it was run on this work till it was burned, in the fall of
1873. It was re-built the next year in a much improved
manner. At first cotton machinery was put in, but it soon
gave place to woolen machinery, with which Mr. Sayles
was well acquainted. It has four complete sets of satinet
machinery, with self-operating mules.
About the year 1834, Alvin Cook purchased a small
building on the Emerson Brook, which was originally built
for a cabinetmaker's shop. He gi*eatly enlarged it and put
in w^oolen cards, spinning machines and looms, but no
finishing machinery. He ran the machinery Ijy the yard,
for Effingham L. Capron, who was then running the Capron
mill, making satinets. He was obliged to succumb to the
financial pressure of 1837, and was never again engaged in
manufacturing. From 1837 to the present year, 1879,
with the excei:)tion of a year or two, when the property was
used for the manufacture of satinet warps, and perhaps for
APrENDix xm. 153
some inocliMiiical purposi's, the mill lias hccii im(tcrii|(ir<l.
It has lately been pureluisod \ty I). M. Lee, repairtMl an«l
fitted up for a shoddy mill.
The Ironstone Mill, after the failure of Fairl»anks and
Messenger, passed through various hands. It was lumit,
and after laying idle for several years lias, within the last
year, passed into the hands of Ahijah Ksten, and has
been re-huilt for a shoddy mill.
Some live or six years ago, Zadok A. Taft bought a faiin
through which runs the Emerson Brook, at what was for-
merly known as the Leonard Taft mills. These mills had
fallen into decay. Mr. Taft erected a mill into which he at
first put machinery for making cotton warps. This ma-
chinery has been removed, and the mill enlarged with the
design of leasing it for a satinet mill. It has nevei; been
occupied as such, and is now used in making shoddy.
This closes the account of the woolen business in Tx-
bridge. It remains to speak of the cotton manufacturing,
of which nothing has been said, except incidentally, and in
connection Avith the manufocture of satinets.
It has been noticed, that preparation for the manufac-ture
of cotton in this to^vn was begun by Ebenezer ( ?) C'lapp.
The building is now standing nearly opposite the boarding-
house at the Uxbridge Cotton mills, and is used foi- a tene-
ment house. I think that nothing l>ut yarn was ever made
in it. How long Mr. Clapp continued to run the mill, I
do not know; but I have been told, that about 1N17 or
^fS, a j\Ir. Seaver came from Boston and took charge of it
for Robert Rogerson. However this may be, Mr. Koger-
son soon after bought the mill and power, together with the
20
154 APPENDIX XIII.
land for tenements, and improved the power to about
double its original amount, Ijy raising the dam and banks
of the trench, thus increasing the fall, and in 1823, he
built the West Stone mill, which was a model mill in every
respect. The machinery was chiefly made on the premises,
and under the direction of Learned Scott, of Cumberland, R.
I., I believe, who also made the plans of the new mill and
superintended its erection. The machinery was built in the
best possible manner and regardless of cost, and the goods
made at this mill were as fine and as perfect as any then
made in this country.
The East mill was built in 1827, in the same style of
perfection as the West, and with such improvements as four
years experience had shown to be desiral^le.
The whole village is laid out with so much taste that it
attracts the notice of any stranger who may pass through it.
Mr. Rogerson was a man of great public spirit. He
built the hall in which the Baptist Society worsliip, and by
him it was " dedicated to Christian worship without regard
to sect," — ^the Rev. Samuel Clarke, then pastor of the First
Congregational Society in Uxbridge, preaching the dedica-
tion sermon. The hall was at first occupied by the INIetho-
dists, afterwards by the Baptists, then again by the
Methodists, and for the last thirty years or more by the
Baptists.
In 1835 or '36, Mr. Rogerson bore one-third of the
expense of building the arched bridge in the village, over
the Mumford River, also the retaining walls and gTading ffie
road made necessary by building the bridge. Of course,
this was in addition to his regular taxes. Mr. Rogerson
Ari'KNDix xm. li,")
will uhviiy.s i)c rt'ine'iiihi'ivil, by those who km-w hiiu, a.s ji
man of great personal onterjjrise and puldic spirit.
Financial crM.-hcs, like that of ls;;7, havf litlh- rc;:ar.l
tor thcsr (•har:nl('ri>ti(s, or any other i^ood (|uality, nnlesM
it is largely conihined with prudence. This was not Mr.
Rogerson's character, and the storm that struck him look
from him all he had ; and he, who a few years hetore could
reckon his property by liundre(l> of thousands, went forth
penniless, never to recover from his misfortunes. I never
visit this village without a feeling of sachicss, to whi<h I
feel incapahlc of giving expression, as I think of the busi-
ness fate of this worthy man.
The property now passed into tlu^ hands of moi'tg:igees.
A new corporation was formed, called the " Txhridgo Cot-
ton Mills," and they were run under this name till 1X50,
when they were sold to the Messrs. \Vhitin, of Xorth-
bridge, who built an addition of brick, uniting the two
stone mills in 1851, making the mill about three hundrtMl
and twenty feet long and three stories high, with attics and
basements to the stone mills. New and inii)roved machin-
ery was put into the mill, and ever^lhing was done to make
it a first-class mill of about ten thousand spindles. It con-
tinued to be operated by the Messrs. A\'hitin, Charles K.
Whitin being superintendent, until the division of the
Wliitiu estate, when it passed to the youngest brother,
James F. A\Tiitin, who now owns it. It is under the
superintendence of George Wliitin. This is the only cot-
ton mill in town, or ever has been, — with the exception
of the small one at Ironstone, built in 1S14, and those that
have been spoken of as used for making satinet wari)s.
156 APPENDIX XIII.
In looking over what I have -written, I notice the omis-
sion of the change made on the dissolution of the firm of H.
and C. C. Capron. A new dye-house having been built for
the better accommodation of the works, C. C. Ca})ron took
the old brick dj^e-house, which was also a stock-house, and
thoroughly repaired it, and put in a water-wheel and
machinery for the manufacture of shoddy. The mill was
burned a few years afterwards, but immediately re-built,
much enlarged and improved, and is now one of the best
mills for the manufacture of shoddy in the country.
In concluding my account of the Manufactures of Ux-
bridge, I think it may be well to make a statement of the
improvements made in woolen machinery since 1810.
The first improvement was the revolving shear-blade, by
William Hovey; the next, the bobbin-winder, which had
but a short life ; then the napping machine and gigs, in
place of the hand-jacks, for raising the nap on woolens ;
then the power satinet looms in place of the hand-looms
(the power-loom for cotton ^veaving was first put into opera-
tion in this country in Waltham, Mass., in 1810) ; the
Goulding improvement for carding and spinning, l)y which
young children were generally thrown out of employment in
woolen mills, and the number of other operatives in card-
ing and spinning was reduced to nearly, or quite, one-half the
number previously required. Next came the dressing of
woolen warps by power, and at about the same time a power
brushing machine was introduced for removing dust and
smoothing down the nap, after the cloth had passed through
the various finishing operations, and before it was put into
the press.
Al'l'KMUX XIII. 157
This was lolloufd hy a irn-atcr in-rftM-ticMi in tlu- <nnstnir-
tion of woolen niMcliiniTV, and iinprovciiu'iits in tli«' (JouM-
inii' inacliint ly, wln'icljy an in( r»'a>t' in llic >i/r of inacliin-
oiy and the speed willi which it could Ix' run wen- made
desirahle and p()ssil)lo. Looms lor wea\ inix tancy wooU-ns
Avore tlien introduced, paiticuhirly thi; loom patented hy
WiUiam Crompton, witli improvements in linishinir machin-
ery, es})ecially in the sliearinir machine, 1»\ \\hi«h the
amount ot" work was increased and hctti'r done; — this
improvement consisting of an increase in tiie iunnl»er of
blades in the revolver. Then came the rotary fulling mill,
the renewal of the Crompton patent, and the improvement
made on the loom by his son George: the James (ireen-
halgh improvement on the fancy loom, by which the warp
was operated with greater ease than before, and enalding
the manufacturer to use a finer warp when it was desirable
to do so; the continuous and self-saving list shearing
machine of Parks and Woolson, and other makers; the
double-acting gig; the self-operating nudi', reducing the
number of si)inners one-half; the double cylinder, or
Guessner gig, and the Knowles fancy loom. There have
also been great improvements made in every kind of power-
loom, enabling the manufacturer to increase the speed of the
satinet loom from eighty-five to one hundred and twenty-
five picks per minute, and the cotton loom, from ninety to
one hundred and eighty picks per minute.
Notwithstanding all these improvements, and the decrease
of the cost of manufacturing, the operatives in the woolen
mills now earn more per day than they did in 1S2 I. I have
omitted to notice one improvement, which came into use
158 APPENDIX xni.
in 1846, the "burring machine," applied to the first
breaker of the carding, which has done for burry and dirty
wool, what the cotton gin has done for cotton : also the
<'burr picker," used to rid the wool of burrs and open it
better, before it comes to the cards. There have been
other improvements made, such as the shoddy picker, the
flock cutting machines, and wool scouring machines.
The improvements in cotton machinery have been so
great, that for a man to take a mill, fitted up in the best
manner of twenty years ago, and attempt to run it in com-
petition with one properly fitted up to-day, would be
his certain financial ruin.
Chakles a. Wiieelock, 1879.
APPEXDIX XIV.
As an Illustration of the (|u:ilily df the yoiinir ladic- <.f
the town, and as containing iinportaiit Huts, manv dl" ulii«li
were new to me, I take the lihcrty to print a c<)nii)osilion
written by a young lady of Uxbridge, tliii-tecn years old at
the time when it was AVTitten, ISIarch 20th, 1«32, and which
came under my observation since the lecture was delivered.
IIeNUY ClIAl'lN.
Description of Uxbridge. — 1832.
Uxbridge is a small and pleasant town, situated in the
southern part of Worcester county, upon tlu' Blackstonc
river. It is bounded on the noi-th by Northbridge and
Upton, on the east by Mendon, south by Smithfiold, and
west by Douglas. It is five and a half miles in length,
four and a half in breadth, and twenty-two miles in circum-
ference ; containing 15,616 acres of huid, of which 1,<>1I7
are appropriated to tillage, 1,924 to upland mowing, 1,178
to meadow mowing, 4,612 to pasturage, 352 to roads, 315
covered with water, about 4,000 Avith forest woods, 1,5162
unimproved; and the remainder, which equals 136 aeri's, is
so barren as to be unimproval)le.
The rivers of Uxbridge are the Blackstonc, Mmnford
and the West, which is very small.
IGO APPENDIX XIV.
The Blackstone is much the largest : it is formed of three
braiKjhcs, one of which rises in Worcester, the other in
Holden, and the other in Paxton ; it passes through the
eastern part of the town and unites with the Providence
river about one mile below Providence. The Mumford is
next in size ; it issues from Badluck pond in Douglas and
Manchaug pond in Sutton, takes a south-easterly course
and empties into the Blackstone river about half a mile
from the centre of the town. The West river issues from
a pond in Upton, runs a south-easterly course and unites
with the Blackstone al)0ut one-fourth of a mile from the
mouth of the Mumford.
The canal, which passes through the eastern part of the
town, derives its name from the Blackstone river ; it is
forty-five miles in length, and connects Worcester -wdth
Providence. There are no less than forty-two locks upon
the whole canal, four of which are in this town.
The other bodies of water in the town are Shokalog and
Pout ponds, the former of which is in the south-western
part of the town, and is about one-fourth of a mile in
width and one-half in length, and one mile in circumfer-
ence. The latter is about one-quarter of a mile east of the
church, and is comparatively small.
The principal hills are Goat hill, Wolf hill, Watchusecic
hill, Lil^erty hill, and one which is situated near the centi-e
of the town, called Fair-Mount, though not generally
known by any particular name. Goat hill, so-called from
the number of goats which ranged upon it before the settle-
ment of the town, is in the north-eastern part of the toAm.
The eastern side of the hill is well adapted to grazing ;
ArrEMMX XIV. Idl
u|M)n the suiniiiit tliciv aiv a iiumlx r of rocks, some of
which arc ten ioct in hci;^'ht.
Woll'liill is nrarlv oitpo.sitc Cioat hill ; it dciiNcs '\[> Matiie
from till' circumstance that wolves loiiiurly iMlial»it«il it.
"VVatchu.secic hill is in the western part of the town, and the
boundary line hi-tween Doui^las and rxhridL'*' passes
directl}' over its sunnnit. Liberty hill, over which there is
a road, is in the centre of the town ; from it you have a line
view of the manufactories owned l>y l\ol)ert Kogerson of
Boston.
Though Ave find many hills in Uxl)ridi;e and its vicinity,
yet they are not diversitied as is generally the ease with val-
leys, yet the eye rests with pleasure upon the fertile valley
through which the Blackstone and its tributary streams
wind their way. This valley is from one to three-quarters
of a mile wide. The banks of the Blackstone are skirted
with elms, walnuts, willows, and other kinds of trees,
which are not unfrcqucntly twined with the grape-vim-, the
fruit of which is very delicious.
There are a numl)er of forests in the town, but the only
dense ones are in the south-eastern part. The kinds of
wood which are most abundant are chestnut and oak.
There are two beautiful groves of pine in the southern i)art
of the town, and one of birch in the eastern part.
Besides the abundance of wood, there is a field of peat,
wdiich covers two acres, and is considered preferable to
wood, or coal, for fuel.
The minerals in the town are stone and iron. The prin-
cipal quany of stone is near Kogerson's village, it consists
of Gneissoid, and a gi-eat deal of it is used in buikling. In
21
162 APPENDIX XIV.
the south-western part of the town, there is an iron mine,
from which considcnil)lc quantities were formerly taken.
There is also a mineral spring impregnated with iron, near
the centre of the town. The number of buildings in Ux-
bridge is about four hundred and eighty ; one l)ank, two
churches, one female seminary, the upper part of which is a
Masonic hall, two hundred and foity-five dwelling-houses,
twelve school-houses, one hundred and ninety-five barns,
five stores, three grist-mills and six saw-mills. The capital
of the bank is about one hundred thousand dollars.
Uxbridge is celebrated for its manufactories, of which
there are seven, four of which are surrounded by villages.
The largest village is owned by Robert Rogerson ; it is in
the north-eastern part of the town ; in it are two factories
in which cotton cloth of a very superior quahty is made.
The factories are built of a kind of stone called Gneissoid ;
they are situated on opposite sides of the Mumford, and are
connected by an arched bridge, which adds much to the
picturesque scenery of the place. The dwelling-houses are
built of brick, and are one story and a half high, with the
exception of three, which are two. In these factories they
run 6,680 spindles, 144 looms, employ 120 persons, and
weave 11,500 yards of cloth weekly.
Capron's village is in the centre of the town. The
factory is built of wood, excepting the lower part, which is
of brick, and the houses are constructed of wood. In this
factory satinets are made, and 384 cotton spindles are used
for making satinet warps, and 600 for woolen, twenty looms
are used and sixty persons are employed. The factory
owned by the Woolen Manufacturing Company, is in the
Ari'KNDIX XIV. 1G3
eastern pari of the, town, and it is Imilt of l»ri(l<, and tlu«
houses uhich surround it an> of wood. Krrscynirn's and
satinets were hoth foi-iucily made, Imt at proi-nl tlu; nianu-
facture of the latter only is attended to.
The other factories are small and are owned hy Clark
Taft, Luke Taft and Josei)h Day. The two latter are
situated on West River in the eastern part of the town, the
former upon Stony Brook in the western. These three
are devoted to the manufaeturc of satinets. In all of the
woolen factories, 2,500 spindles and 100 looms are used.
In the cotton factories 10,000 sj)indles and 2,000 looms.
In the year 1830,* there were 2,500 yards of cloth made
daily. Besides the factories for making cloth there arc
others at which organs, shuttles, hats and si)lints are
made.
The whole population of Uxbridge is 2,030, of which
about one-third are employed in manufactures. Though
tliis employment so much engrosses the time and attention
of the inhabitants, yet education is not neglected. The
town is divided into twelve school districts, in each of
which there is a committee of three chosen to select a
teacher and attend to the ali'airs of the school, which is con-
tinued during the winter. There is also a connnittee of
five chosen by the town for visiting and examining the
schools.
The average number of scholars in each district is fifty,
making the whole number that attend the public schools
six hundred. Six hundred dollars are raised annually for
the support of schools.
As another means of education, there is a hbrary, called
164 APPENDIX XIV.
the Uxbridge Social Library, which contains from two to
three hundred volumes ; some of which are Scott's novels,
others histories, and others the periodicals of the day.
The population of Uxbridge, as is generally the case
with any to^vn, is made up of a mixed number, l)ut most of
them are intelligent, enterprising and industrious. Their
principal employments are agriculture and manufactures.
APPENDIX XV.
Of some Membeus of the Capuox Family.
Uxl)riclgc, for many ^oars, lias in various ways felt, ami
always for good, the inliuenco of the Capron family. N\'e
cannot, of course, speak in detail of all the mcmlii-r.s of it.
AVe limit our notice to these four members: John Willard
Capron, commonly called Col. Capron ; — Ins next younger
brother, AMlLiam Cargill, always known as the Deacon ; —
and the two sons, William Banlield, and Samuel Mills :
all noAv dead.
John Willard Capron was born in Uxbridge, Fcbniary
14th, 1797. With the exception of a short time that ho
spent in Leicester Academy, he was educated in the public
schools of this town. He married, January 4th, l.S2(),
Abigail M. Read, who died May 22d, 1828 : and Octo-
ber 30th, 1831, he married Catharine P. Messenger. Siie
is now living, and several of their children.
After Col. Capron left school, he, and liis lirothers Eflinir-
ham L. and William, were admitted to a partnership with
their father, John Capron, in manufacturing ; — their manu-
factory was the store now occupied by Ha^-^vard and Taft.
For ten years he was connected with a military organization,
and in 1825, he was made Colonel of Infantry. A numb.-r
of years, beginning with 1827, he was postmaster of the
town ; and for nearly thirty years he held the ollice of notary
166 APPENDIX XV.
pu1)lic. In 1836 and '37 he was a member of the State
Leofislature.
Besides these official relations, he was long and inti-
mately connected with the affairs of the town; being
chosen for many consecutive years, to fill the office of
Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. Colonel Capron was
one in whom the people of the town placed the most
implicit confidence. He was universally respected and
trusted. He was not a social man, in the popular sense of
that phrase, being rather silent and reserved; and yet
he was by no means a repelhng man. There was a quiet
cheerfulness about him which rendered him a very pleasant
man to meet. Much property came into his hands in his
frequent administration of trusts, and no one could be more
scrupulously honest than he. Colonel Capron was emphati-
cally a good townsman ; large-heai-ted, public-minded — and
he leaves behind him an unblemished reputation. He died
December 25th, 1878, and on the 28th was buried from the
Evangelical Congregational Church.
The following notice of Dea. William Cargill Capron,
has been furnished me by Rev. Dr. Hooker, of Boston : —
" The whole life of this excellent man was spent in Ux-
l)ridge — his native towai. It was a life of no ostentation,
no aspiration for office and honor among the people, no
panting after popular favor in any way. Office and honor
came, for there was worth to care for them, and therefore
fitness for them. His intelligence, his constant acquaint-
ance with a choice hl)rary, his vigorous support of all
rehgious institutions, his natural good judgment and com-
mon sense, could not fail, and did not, to give him an
eminent place in the esteem of all his fellow-citizens. He
identified himself specially A\ith the best interests of the
ArrENDix XV. 167
younfj, !)>• a raithful sci-vice of rorty-lour yvMs us ti-arlM-r
and supoiiutciKk'nt in tho Sunday school. In cliri.-^lian
character, ho was a tower of streiiirth to tlie rhunh. Ilis
piety was not impulsive, never developed in ni>h enthu-
siasm. ]l was founded on a larL^e arijuaiutancc with the
^n-eat doctrines of the Word of (Jod, (aliu, thou;;hlfid,
unswerving, hirircly (U'veloi)ed into a hvely inti-rest, not
only in the best welfare of his own couuuimity, hut it
flowed forth in the most tender and active sympathy with
all his race."
Mr. Capron was born in this town, AulhisI lllh, IT'.i'.t.
He married Miss Chloc Day, Octol)er 2iMh, 1S21, and died
February Gth, 1875, leaving a widow and two children.
William Banfield Capron, son of Dea. W'illiaui C'argill
and Chloe Day Capron, was born April loth, ls2l. He
joined the Evangelical Congregational Church in rxl)ri<lg«',
when he was thirteen 3^cars old. He was litted for college
at Andover, and was graduated from Yale college in IHU).
For six years he was principal of the noi)kins (Jranuuar
School, in Hartford, Connecticut, and while here he wa.s
very actively engaged in the Sabbath school and City mis-
sion work. Under a strong sense of duty he devoted him-
self to missionary work in foreign lands, in l.S.')2 ; and having
conditionally promised that he would enter that licld of
labor, he became a member of the Theological Seminary in
Andover, and was gi-aduated in 1856. He was ordained aus
an evangelist in Ux]>ridge, September 3, 185r., and was
appointed to the Madura Mission. He married in Novem-
ber a daughter of Kev. Dr. H. B. Hooker, and sailed for
Madras, and remained in India sixteen ycais. He visited
America in 1872-74, and returned to India in January,
168 APPENDIX XV.
1875. He died of heart disease, October 6th, 1876, leav-
ing a widow and three children.
After his death, an associate worker wrote of Mr.
Capron's thorough-going habits and exactness. He also
spoke of his hal)its of searching investigation, his minute
forecasting of all details, his sound judg-nient, his generous
ideas of missionary work, his fair-mindedness, his kindness
in dealings with his brethren, his caution in forming his
opinions, but not wedded to custom, nor afraid of innova-
tion Avhen changes were proposed. Mr. Capron was very
modest in his estimate of himself, and uncomplaining. He
did a solid work in his mission, which he repeatedly refused
to leave, thoughother fields were ofiered him. His kindness
was always practical, and to his mission he bequeathed the
memory of a pure and saintly life.
Samuel Mills Capron, brother of William Banfield, was
born in Uxbridge, May 15th, 1832. The religious element
prominent in him through life, was the marked character-
istic of his early childhood. The time of his conversion
and consecration to God, he ever referred to the period
when he was a member of Phillips Academy at Andover, —
in the last year of his preparation for college. He made a
public profession of his faith by joining the Evangehcal
Congregational Church in Uxbridge, in Septem])er, 1849,
and the same autumn he entered Yale college. During liis
junior year, he was occupied several evenings in the week
in Mr. Eussell's school ; and here he laid the foundation of
his after eminent success as a teacher. He decided not to
be a minister, but says of teaching : "I like that profes-
sion very well so far, and think I could do tolerably well in
ArPENDIX XV. \i',[\
it." In the autumn of l.S')3, he hocjuno master of the Hop-
kins Grammar ticlioul in Hartford, (.'onnocticut, innnciliatelv
succeeding liis brother William, and hero lie rrmainccl ten
years. In November, 1854, Uv niarrir<i i^imicc M. ("luipjii.
In ISeptember, 18(5;^, he went to Huropc, wlitTc lie spent
about fourteen months. He was now inclined to give up
teaching and enter upon manufacturing, aud so resigtieil his
school, llis resignation was not accepted, and he was
waited u^wn by the Hartford committee and oMcrcd the
place of Principal of the High School, at nearly double his
former salary; accei)ting it, he returned to Hartford in
April, 1865. With three of his pupils, he spent the sum-
mer of 1871 in Great Britain. About the tirst of Decem-
ber, 1873, while out one evening with liis class star-gju^ing,
he took a severe cold, which proved fatjd, his health at this
time being somewhat delicate. A\'hen told that his discjuse
was pneumonia, he said, with sure knowledge of himself,
"I know I shall not live." lie died in Hartford, January
4th, 1874, and his death was there regarded as a public
calamity.
Mr. Capron was eminent as a teacher, a man and a
christian. The qualities which pertain to the true idea of
manhood, seem to have been united in him, and submis-
sively we cannot but ask, when tliinking of his early death,
why could not one, who did bless, and would have been a
blessing in the workl, l)e longer spared to it? The public
and private tributes paid to his memory were very tender
and very honorable ; and the town where he was born and
grew up may well be proud of him. His body lies in
Prospect Hill Cemetery. Editou. 1871».
22
APPENDIX XVI.
The Taft Family.
The address of Judge Taft, at the gathering of the Taft
family in 1874, leaves little for the writer of the present
sketch to do, except to make extracts from it relating to the
Uxbridge branches of the family.
The town records bear almost unbroken witness to the
intimate and various relations of the family to the town
from the beginning of its history. The patriarch, Robert
Taft of Mendon, settled each of his five sons, Thomas,
Robert, Jr., Daniel, Joseph and Benjamin, on a farm, saw
them all married and surrounded by a fast increasing
family, before his death in 1725. Three of the five sons
became residents of Uxbridge, — Robert, Jr. , Joseph and
Benjamin. Soon after the father's death, Robert, no longer
"junior," removed to Uxbridge, where he resided on the
east side of the Blackstone, near the Uxbridge Woolen mill,
"having land on both sides of the river." "Joseph and
Benjamin, the two youngest sons, undoubtedly settled on
the west side of the Blackstone, not far from the meeting-
house, Joseph owning and residing upon the farm now
owned and occupied by liis great-gi-andson, Zadok A. Taft,
Esq. ; and Benjamin settled on the fami now OMmed and
occupied by Mrs. Bezaleel Taft." We do not find that any
APPENDIX XVI, 171
ol" the luuncrous c-hildri'ii of Tlioin.-i.s s«'ttlr«l in Txhrid;.'!*,
but Daniel conveyed to his son Josiiili, ''hydeed of ;;ift,
the farm on Ihi- west side of the lU.irkstone, Jiflerwjirds held
by Esq. Bczjdeel, Josiuh's son, ;m<l wun-c recently h\ Mrs.
Joseph Thayer, and whieh is still owned by the family."
Of the forty-five *jrandehildren of the old man KolK'rt,
forty-one bore scripture names, and not one of them had
the modern middle name. The family Iii>(()iiaM trlls us,
that the descendants of Robert, dr., are "sIioiil' in this
region and numerous elsewhere," that in Uxhridire they are
represented by " Orsmus, Closes, Kobert and Jacob," — and
a host that he does not name. The founder of the family
had a fancy for giving all his descendants a fann ; but by-
and-by, when that could no longer be done, succeeding
generations turned their attention to other ent<'rpriscs,
the natural facilities for Avhich abound in Uxbridgc. and
became manufacturers. There is scarcely a mill within the
limits of the town, that has not, at some time, been owned
or occupied by a Taft. " AVhen we consider," says Judge
Taft, " the extent to which the name has become associated
with the manufactures of the vicinity, and how much more
widely the l)lood has extended than the name, we may con-
clude that the great factories of tliis section of the lUack-
stone valley are almost a family concem."
If the descendants of Robert were distinguished as inMini-
facturers, from the household of Daniel there has already
come three generations of lawyers : Bezalecl Taft — senior
and junior — and George Spring Taft ; and no givat gift of
proiihecy is needed to predict that ere many yeai-s the
fourth generation may be admitted to the bar. ."r^o foii.l of
172 APPENDIX XVI.
the legal profession docs this branch of the family appear
to 1)0, that more than one of the daughters has become a
lawyer's wife. Among the "honorable women not a few,"
who have joined their names and fortunes to the Taft
family, mention should be made of the wife of Josiah, the
son of Daniel. The days of her widowhood were times of
serious trouble for the colonies. Her husband died in
1756. The French and Indian war was at hand ; the Revo-
lution not far distant. A requisition was made upon the
town of Uxbridge for a certain sum of money for colonial
purposes. A meeting of the legal voters was held to see if
the money should be gi-anted. The estate of Josiah Taft
paid the largest tax in. Uxbridge, and his son Bezaleel was
a minor; but with a sturdy sense of justice that there
should be " no taxation without representation," the citizens
declared that the widow Josiah Taft should vote upon the
question. She did so, and her vote was the one that
decided in the affirmative that the money should be paid.
Who wonders that her son was a man who had the
unbounded confidence of his townsmen, and served them in
various offices of honor and trust for forty years ! Uxbridge
may yet be famous as the pioneer in the cause of woman's
sufii"age.
The descendants of Joseph are widely scattered, but the
homestead, "which he was the first to clear and improve,
where he spent his whole active life, and where he died, is
held by his gi^eat^grandson." "Captain" Joseph gave to
each of his sons, Moses, Peter, Joseph and Aaron, fanns,
and some of these have never passed fi'om the family. "We
find this family occupying many stations in life. There are
\
\
Al'l'KNDIX XVI. 173
mentioned anionL'- IIkmi, I.iw vers, doctdr.-, (l('a«-oiis, ti-aclu-rs
and laniici's; ami llicv appear to liavc luid ;rirat poimlarity
as lau-inakcis. " Joseph," says his desccndaiil, the hist<)-
riun tVoin whom we so often quote, "has been repre-
sented in tlie h'lrislature of Massachusetts, of Wniiont, <.('
jNIiehigan, of Ohio, and of Iowa.
Like tile patriarch of old, tlu' patriarch llolicrt, of Mm-
don, named his youn<j:e8t son Benjamin. Like his father
and brotliers, Benjamin loved to own broad acres, and his
possessions in the south-western part of Uxbridge were so
extensive, that after settling all his children on farms, \w.
left twelve hundred goodly acres to l)e divided amoni: them
after liis death. Benjamin, of the five brothers, had the
smallest family — but his deseendants have settled in scvenil
of the States of the Union, and have brought iionor to the
name. Like the children of Robert, Jr., they have given
the name of Taftville to a town which their enteri)rise has
done much towards building up.
The family tree, with Robei-t as its sturdy truid<, grew,
sent forth branches, twigs and leaves, quite overshadowing
the town of Uxbridge, spreading itself towards the n(»rthern
hills, the western prairies, and the sunny south. When the
invitation was given in 1874, for the family to gather in
fi'iendly meeting, a host responded. They came, according
to the printed list before the writer, from twelve dilferent
States of the L^nion. They came from the pidpit, the
bench, the bar, and the teacher's desk ; the doctor left his
patients, the farmer his sc^iihe, the tradesman his cus-
tomers, the mechanic his workshoj), ami the inainifactiirer
his mill, bringing with them mothers, sisters, wives and
174 APPENDIX XVI.
daughters, to the number of several hundred, and they
were all children of Robert.
To speak of all the Taft family has been in Uxbridge is
quite impossible in the limits of this note. The sons of
Robert built the first bridge over the Blackstone river ; they
helped to build the first meeting-house, and every succeed-
ing one, in Uxl)ridge. Daniel Taft, in 1732, gave the land
for the first burying-ground ; Samuel Taft entertained the
first President of the United States, and Orsmus was the
first Yankee who learned to weave satinet. They have
served their native State and Worcester county in many
capacities, and Uxbridge in almost every one, — as lawyers,
selectmen, town-clerks, representatives to general court, as
teachers and doctors ; have cared for the old and unfortunate
as overseers of the poor, and for the young as school com-
mittees ; have wrought as mechanics of every kind, culti-
vated the land, engaged largely in manufactures ; have been
bank presidents and treasurers, and traders of many kinds.
One position they never seem to have filled in this town.
We do not know that any descendant of Robert Taft of
Mendon has ever served as a minister of the gospel in
Uxbridge, though we find them in many other places
laboring in this vocation.
Strongly marked as the character of the fajnily has been
in generations past for enterprise, industry and integrity,
it is not less so in the present generation ; — and may it be
the goodly heritage of children's cliildren !
S. G. B. 1879.
APPENDIX XVir.
The Public Schools.
The Act of the General Court that made Uxhridiro an
incorporated town, dated June 27, 1727, and iiul.li>he(l
July 12th, required, not only that there should he main-
tained puldic worship, but also reciuired to he n)aintained
"a school-master to instruct their youth in writinir and
reading." The schools in Uxbridge to-day rest upon this
foundation.
The first vote of the town with regard to schools is this :
January 2<Sth, 1729, voted, "that John Farnuni, Roheil
Taft and Seth Aldrich, be a conmiittce to treat with Men-
don about our right in y® school lands whieh have been
sold and what yet remains to be sold, in y" townships of
Mendon and Uxbridge." January 22d, 1730, voted, " that
John Farnum, Robert Taft and Seth Hastings, be a stand-
ing committee, and should make a report to the town about
it — that is to say, of the school lands, — and they were em-
powered to treat with Mendon, and if the town of Mendon
will let us enjoy the lands, sold and un-sold in Uxbridge, to
agree with them about it." In 1730, November 2<>th, the
towns chose two men, Joseph Taft and Seth Aldrieh, to get
advice about the right of Uxbridge to the hinds set apart in
Mendon, now Ux1)ridge, for schools and ministers. In 1731,
May 14th, two more were added to this connuittee,
170 APPENDIX XVII.
Joseph White and E))enezer Reed ; and further, chose John
Farnum, Robert Taft, Seth Aldrich, Ebcnezer Reed and
Joseph White, as a committee to petition the General Court
to set off to the town of Uxbridge, its share of the minis-
terial and school lands in Mendon, which were in Uxbridge
before the separation of the towns. In 1732, January
25th, voted to set up and keep a school in Uxbridge — and
voted to have a school dame, the first seven or eight
months proportionably ; and the selectmen were to appoint
the place where the schools were to be kept and provide the
school dame. In 1732, March 2d, the town voted, if Men-
don will give Uxbridge two hundred pounds of the money
the school lands sold for, for the schools of Uxbridge, with
the interest of the bond now in the hands of Ebenezer
Reed, which is a part of the two hundred pounds, we will
accept of the same as our part of the school money. The
town having reconsidered its vote, whereby a dame was to
teach, now chose John Reed school-master, who was the
first school-master. In 1732, April 4th, the town chose a
committee to receive the money of the town of Mendon,
which was voted the town of Uxbridge, and realized fi-om
the sale of the school lot some time since, and bring it in
and keep it in profit for the use of the schools of Uxbridge.
May 29th, voted to reconsider the vote whereby dames
were chosen teachers, and voted also that the selectmen
should keep up the schools the present year; and on
November 29th, voted, to have a school-master for three
months from the present time. In 1733, February 5th, the
school money was placed in the hands of the treasurer.
May 3d, voted George Woodward, school-teacher, and to
APPENDIX XVII. 177
board liini, and to u:ive him twenty pounds for lii.s ycnr'a
services. August 2'.\i\, voted to *jivc Jnines Emerson seven
shillings a week for hoarding teju-lur. .I.iiiu.irv 7th, 17.; I,
the town voted to pay twenty-five pounds for scliooling,
and Ednumd Kawson was the teacher this year. The same
year, we find mention made of scho()l-districts, as " sijuad-
rons," and each squadron had the lil)erty of choosing it.s
teacher — a woman — and the selectmen were to ap])robato
the teachers. In 1780, Joim Kawson was allowed forty-
five pounds for teaching school.
In 173(), the town received of the General Court a grant
of five hundred acres of land which, in 1738, was sold to
John Harwood for two hundred and fifly pounds. Decem-
ber 25th, Robert Taft was authorized to receive the money
fi'om Mr. Harwood, and the interest of the money was to be
applied to the support of the schools. This grant, from
some votes that afterwards appear in the records, nmst have
been located in what is no^v the State of New Ilamp.shire ; and
it was not until 1741, that it was settled to whom this territory
belonged, where this grant was located. In 1G43, the County
of Norfolk, of Massachusetts, included the towns of Salis-
bury, Hampton, Haverhill, Exeter, Dover and Strawberry
Bunk — now Portsmouth. The Patent of the Governor and
Company of Massachusetts Bay, gave them the right to the
land three miles north of the most northern part of the Mer-
rimack River, on a line running westward from the Atlantic
Ocean, — which would include much of what is now the ten-i-
tory of New Hampshire. This line was surveyed by Massa-
chusetts in 1652. In 1G41 , the settlements of Exeter, Dover
and Strawbeny Bank voluntiirily sought the protection of
23
178 APPENDIX xvn.
Massachusetts, and remained under its protection until
1679, when Charles IE. made New Hampshire a royal
province. In 1689, New Hampshire again came under the
protection of Massachusetts, and the claim of jurisdiction
Tvas not settled until 1741, when New Hampshire became a
separate province.
This bit of history I insert here, that it may be seen why the
grant of land for school purposes was located in what is now
the State of New Hampshire ; and why, also, there was so
much difficulty about the title to it. March 28th, 1753, the
towii voted to choose a committee to act upon the affair of
the five-hundred-acre grant, — and voted, also, "to see if the
land could not be got where it was laid out ; and provided
it could not be procured, to see what ^vill satisfy the pur-
chasers, and make them easy in that affair." In 1756, it was
voted to see if the town will apply for a new grant of land, in
place of that given in 1736, " and since taken by the. Prov-
ince of New Hampshire. ^^ In 1757, the to^ATi voted to
raise eighty-five pounds nine shillings and ninepence to
purchase the claim of Ebenezer Harwood, Solomon Wood
and Josiah Chapin to this land; and in 1758, the town
petitioned the General Court for a new gi-ant of five
hundred acres to make good the loss of the other.
For some twenty years previous to this time, the
expenses of maintaining the schools seem to have been met
from the income derived from this gi-ant of land ; because,
I find no record of money raised for this purpose, for about
this period ; in 1756, the towTi again began to raise money
for the schools.
The first mention made of a school-house is in the month
APPENDIX XVII. 17 'J
ot" Doceinhcr, 173.S, when the town voJcmI to l)uil.l a hiIumiI-
hoiiso. Tradition says, the nieetinir-liouso was previously
usctltbrthi.spurpo.se; l»ut tlioiiLrh it iit<n/ luivc been umd
lor this |)uri)ose in the suiiinier, or w:irni months, it «loe.s
not seem possible it couhl have been so u.setl in the winttT ;
as the ehurchcs of that time were not heated — we nuist
rcincmbcr also the treiiuent use of the meeting-house for
toAvn purposes. In all probability the schools of the other
parts of the town were kept in private houses.
In 1740, October 17th, the town voted to .illow forty-four
pounds thirteen shillings and threepence, for what had
been done, and for what was to be done, to the school-
house. In August, 1741, the town voted not to raise any
money for schools this year. In 1743, September l.'Jth,
widow Mary Aldrich was voted four pounds for teaching
school eight weeks — teacher's wjiges were half a pound a
week, about $1.67. The tovm chose a committee of three to
see about the school funds, and in May, 1744, the town
added four more to this committee. In 1744, Septem-
ber, the town chose a committee to receive the bonds
of the school money, and should any one refuse to give
up the bonds, to sue for them. January 2nth, 17I<I,
the school money was left in the hands of John Farnum and
Joseph Taft for five years ; and they were to pay twenty
pounds a year interest for it. March 2d, n.')."?, voted to
squadron out the school in i)laccs convenient, and chose a
committee to do it. The tovn\, in 1756, raised twenty-five
pounds for schools and tovm charges. The town, in 1760,
voted to divide the town into distriels, and each distri«-t was
to enjoy the pri\'lleges of schooling in pnniortion to the
180 APPENDIX XVII.
money raised by them. A committee of five made their
report upon this matter, and their report was adopted in
17G1. The town by this report was divided into thirteen
districts, and the children of specified families were to
attend specified schools, and each district was to have a
sum of money allotted it, in proportion to the number of
scholars in that district. In 1762-'63-'64-'65-'66-'67 and
'68, sixty pounds a year were raised for schools. In August,
1762, it was voted that the selectmen shall assist Solomon
Wood in looking up the papers to ' ' qualify him to pursue
after the five-hundred-acre grant." The town, in 1765,
voted to apply to the General Court for a new grant of five
hundred acres of land for school purposes — and the same
year voted a new school squadron. In 1768, the town chose
a committee of three, Ezekiel Wood, Samuel Reed, and
Thomas Rist, to manage the afiair of the town with Esquire
Harwood, relating to the five-hundred-acre grant. The
town, in 1769, voted to sell the old school-house, if it
could get what it was worth. It seems, that about this
time the General Court had given the town a new tract of
land ; and this time of seven hundred and fifty acres ; for
in 1770, the town voted to "pursue the laying out this land,"
and chose as a committee for the purpose, Capt. Ezekiel
Wood and Samuel Aldnch, who were empowered ' ' to make
search and lay out the grant where they think the toAvn will
derive the greatest benefit from it ; " and they were also
authorized to sell the land, if they considered it for the
benefit of the town to do so ; — and the town allowed their
claim for laying out this grant. In 1770-71, sixty pounds
were raised for schools. The town, in 17 73, voted to sell the
\
Al'l'ENDIX XVII. iMl
old sc-ho()l-h()Use after it was i)ulk'(l (|(»\vn ; — and thin yi-ar
raised forty pounds; — in 177(!, forty; — in 1777, sixty; — in
1778, one hundi-ed and twenty; — in 177;i, tlirr«- luindnd
pounds; — we now see the eilect of the depreciated cur-
rency. In 1779, at the October nieetinir, the town voted to
sell its land in the western part of the State. This is proba-
bly the land given about 1770, by the General Court for
school purposes, and laid out by the conunittec chosen in
1770; forty pounds were voted for schools in 1780; this
was in the new emission of money. The article about
schools in 1781 was dismissed from the warrant ; in
1783-'84, forty pounds were raised. In 17.SS, we tind the
first mention made of a gi'amniar school ; the town votccl,
"that three pounds thirteen shillinirs and sixpence, raised at
the other meeting, should be apjjlied to a grammar school
the present year." In 1789, the town voted sixty pounds
for schools ; in 1791-92, it raised fifty pounds. In 1791,
such changes as were found necessary were made in the
location of school districts. In 1793-94, sixty pounds were
raised for schools ; and it was voted, that the Quakers
should have their share of the school money ; but in 179.'),
it was reconsidered. In 179(5, eighty pounds were raised,
and a committee of nine was chosen to change the districts
for schooling and highway purposes. By this vote, the
to^\^l was divided into eleven school districts, — and sub-
stantially remained so divided up to 1825. In 1797, the
to^\^l raised two thousand dollars for building school-houses
in the several districts: — no district was to have more
than its proportionate share of this money: and if the
inhabitants of the district were not able to agree where
182 APPENDIX XVII.
their school-house should be placed, this committee was to
fix upon a proper site; and John Capron, Seth Aldrich, Jr.,
Joseph liist, Lieut. Benjamin Greene and Capt. Samuel
Read were the members of this committee.
And now, let me substantially quote the language of
Charles A. Wheelock: —
The old school-houses ! What queer buildings they
were, when compared with the modern school-house ! The
writing-desk was a plank running round three sides of the
room — the scat was a slab, its flat side uppermost, with
holes bored in it, in which were driven cart stakes for leirs.
The scholar had no back to his seat, unless he should
turn round and face the centre of the room, when his back
might rest against the edge of the plank writing-desk. The
big stone fire-place was filled with blazing logs in winter,
and the child must roast and freeze by turns. The dungeon,
— that dreadful place, — to which the unruly ones were con-
signed, sometimes to regale themselves upon the good
things the prudent had brought to sustain themselves in
their arduous labors, while delving among the mysteries of
the three R's ; — and the heavy ruler was there, and that
never-to-be-forgotten birch, which was so quickening to
the mental faculties, when properly administered.
Of course, the town built school-houses in accordance with
the vote just referred to. There is some reason to believe
that a new districting of the town took place between 1812
and 1820, but the record is defective.
Let us now come to the year 1815, when Mr. Wheelock,
— so he writes me — first knew something of the schools.
AI'l'KNDIX XVII. lJi3
There were school-musters aiid mistresses in thosr days,
m)t tenehers — who Lij,t the seh<H)l, and I think they kept
it pretty well." My tirst sehool-mistress was Ahi;rail
Read, daughter of Capt. Samuel Head, wlio was mis-
ti'css of the summer schools for the four years that I
belonged to tlie Rivulet district. Soon after, she left
teaching, and was married to Col. John W. Capron. Miss
Read Avas a good teaeher and won the esteem of ht-r
scholars. My tirst master was IJenjaniin Thwing. Mr.
Tliwing had l^een a school-master for many years before I
knew him, and continued to keep the winter's school in the
same district for many years after I left it. He was a
genial man and a good disciplinarian — and as my nu iiiory
runs back to him, and recalls the village school-master of
the " Deserted Village," I think he would have been a good
subject for Goldsmith's graceful pen. Capt. Thomas Far-
num was my next master — an energetic, active man, who
kept his scholars vcqW employed and never sulleritl any
mischief-making to pass undiscovered. Of other masters, I
mention Moses D. Southwick, who afterwards gi-aduated at
Brown Universit}', and became a successful and much loved
physician of Millvillc ; — William Thornton, who, while he
was enjraofed in teachinjr, was a student in the office of Dr.
George Willard; — Charles K. Whipple, a student, and
afterwards was graduated from Amherst College. I do not
know that I had more regard for Mr. Whii)ple than for any
of my other teachers ; but I have always felt that he had a
better system of managing a school than they, and in the
short experience I had in teaching, I endeavored to I'oilow,
as I was al)le, his ircneral order of exercises. These gen-
184 APPENDIX XVII.
tlemen were teachers of the district winter schools, that
were free schools, and were kept about ten weeks each. The
summer schools were not free, the parents of the scholars
paid for their tuition. These schools were all taught l)y
women of gi-eat worth, and some of them of large expe-
rience.
In 1797, one hundred pounds were raised for schools : and
this sum — $333^ — was gradually increased, until it reached
six hundi'ed dollars ; but the time when is uncertain. The
annual appropriation, never exceeded six hundred dollars for
schools until 1835, when the "First Absti-act of School Re-
turns" was published by the State, and an opportunity was
thus afforded of comparing the amount of money here raised
with that of the neighboring towns, and the comparison was
one not altogether flattering. If the appropriation had been
doubled the town would not have raised too much. The town
was now asked to raise one thousand dollars, and after some
discussion and some opposition, the motion was carried.
Better school advantages were immediately secured, and
there has been an increase of school advantages fi'om that
time to this. The average wages of female teachers at tliis
time, 1835, were $5.73 a month; and that of male teachers
$13.93, exclusive of board. There were then eleven districts,
and there were employed in them ten male teachers and
eleven female ; — twenty-one difierent teachers in the year, for
the eleven schools. Teachers were then changed every term
— men teaching in the winter and women in the simimer.
Now, teachers are employed by the year. In 1835, the
public schools were opened twenty weeks in the year ; now
the number is nearly twice as large ; and the relative number
APPENDIX XVII. 185
of female to male teachers has greatly increased. The aver-
age wages paid to teachers in 1877 was, to males $56.50, and to
females $34.65 a month, — the teacher providing for himself.
In 1854, it was unofficially ascertained that Uxbridge
had the number of families required l)y law to establish a
High School, according to the standard set up by the
statutes of the State : and in February, 1855, the town
chose as a committee to see if it was liable to maintain a
High School, Charles A. AVheelock, li. D. Mowry and
Merrill Greene. At the meeting of the town in April,
1855, the town voted that the school committee — it having
been ascertained that the tovm was legally obliged to open
such a school — should procure a place and open a High
School ; and six hmidred dollars were appropriated for the
support of the school until the next March meeting ; and a
committee of five were appointed, who should report a
location for the school-house and with re^-ard to buildinof
the same. In November of the same year, the town voted
to direct the town's committee to take possession of the
school-room in the brick academy, put the same in repair,
and set up a school therein, in the right of the to\ra. At
the meeting in the spring of 1857, the town voted to
expend a sum not exceeding seven hundred dollars, under
the direction of the school committee, for the repairs of
the building, — with the approbation of the owners of the
same, — for the purpose of a High School.
The first term of the High School was opened in the
Academy building, in the spring of 1855, and Mr. Nathan
Goldthwait was the principal. He was engaged for only
one term.
24
186 APPENDIX XVII.
Mr. Holhrook was the principal for the second term, l)ut
failing health compelled him to close his work before the
term was completed, and the school was discontinued until
the winter term, when Mr. H. R. Pierce took the school,
and was the principal for nearly two years, — to the complete
satisfaction of committee, parents and scholars. He was
succeeded by Mr. H. E. Roclcwell, for the remainder of
the school year, when Mr. J. H. Clarke took the school for
one year. The school, all this time, was accomplishing
comparatively little, on account of the meagre appropria-
tions made for it. In 1865, a three years' course of study
was arranged for the school, which in 1869, was changed to
one of four years.
In connection with what we have said of the appropria-
tion of two thousand dollars, in 1797, to build school-
houses, we would now say a few words about the changes
in the school districts, and the school-houses since built in
them.
About 1828, district number eleven was set oJff from
number four, and a house for its use was provided by
Mr. Robert Ros^erson. The district continued to use this
house until the abolition of the districts in 1869, when
the town erected a house for the primary and grammar
departments.
In 1840, district number one rebuilt its house, which was
burned in the winter of 1862 and '63, and did not rebuild.
In 1840, district number four removed its house to where it
now stands, and in 1843 remodeled it. After the abolition
of the districts, this house was again repaired by the to^vn,
and modern school furniture introduced. This is perhaps
APPENDIX XVII. 187
the oldest school-house in to^ii, — Mr. "V^^lcclock says ho
knows it has been occupied sixty-four years. In 1818, dis-
trict number two built a new house. Districts four and five
seem to have built new ones some time since 171)7, — ^judging
by the manner in which they were l)uilt. The house Ijuilt in
1707, for district number three, remained in use until 1862,
when it was repaired and the seats were modernized. In
1843, district number two erected a new house, having out-
grown the house put up in 1818 ; and about 1845, number
eight remodeled and new-seated its house. Number seven
abandoned its house about 1830, and built a new one ©f
brick, which was also abandoned in 1853, and a new house
was built, which was remodeled by the town, when the
school districts were abolished. After the Providence and
Worcester Railroad was opened, district number five found
itself under the necessity of building a new house ; but
v/hen inquiry was made about the right of the district to
build, it was found that there were no Icfral districts.
Measures were immediately taken to have the school dis-
tricts legally formed, and an excellent house, for gi-am-
mar and primary departments, was erected in this district.
In 1858, number two had again outgi'own its accommoda-
tions, and a new disti'ict, — number thirteen, — was formed,
which built a new house, far in advance of anything yet
enjoyed for school purposes in this neighborhood. The last
district to build was number five, in 1869 : but it was never
occupied as a district school; for the State, in 1869, abol-
ished the district system of maintaining schools, and the
town took possession of the house before it was finished.
Since the school districts were abolished by the Act of
188 APPENDIX XVII.
1869, the town has built three fine school-houses in place of.
those totally unfit fi)r use ; has repaired and re-furnished *
with modern furniture, five others ; has bought a school-
house for number one, whose house had been burned in the
winter of 1862-63 ; the mixed intermediate and grammar
schools have l)ecn furnished with wall maps and globes ; the
primary schools are supplied with reading charts, and the
High School with a valuable philosophical, chemical and
electrical apparatus.
C. A. W. AND THE Editor, 1869.
APPENDIX XVm.
Select Schools and Academies.
Let me premise, that in my endeavor to give the history
of the Academies, or Seminaries, of the town, it has not been
without a good deal of careful inquiry, and comparison of
dates, that I have been able to an-ive at something like an
accurate account of these schools. I shall first speak of the
building of the Academy, on the north side of the common.
In 1819, February 15th, this article appeared in the
town warrant : —
' ' To see if the town will permit the erection of a private
school-house on the north end of the common, between the
cart-way leading to widow Fanny Willard's back-yard, and
the wall south of where the old blacksmith shop stands :
provided, said building can be erected by private mmiifi-
cence."
On March 3d, 1819, it was voted, that liberty be
given to build a school-house on the town common — of
certain specified dimensions — provided it ])e built within
three years from this date. Who petitioned for this
privilege does not appear.
At the same time, the Masonic Lodge, recently formed
in the to^Ti, wished for better accommodations than it Avas
enjoying in the Spring Taveni hall ; and on June 3d of this
year reported, that the north end of the to^vn common
190 APPENDIX XVIII.
was the most suitable place on which to build their pro-
posed new hall. Tills agreement of purpose, between
those who were interested in the new school-house, and the
members of the Solomon's Temple Lodge of Masons, was
the reason why the building was erected at their mutual
exi^cnse — the Masons building the upper story, and the
citizens interested in having better means of educating their
children, the lower story — the town giving the land for the
building.
A paper now lies before me giving in detail the facts as
succinctly stated al)ove ; and to tliis paper is added the
names of those who subscribed, and the amounts subscribed
for the building. This paper is dated April 20th, 1819 :
and distinctly says, that members of the Masonic Lodge
have expressed a wish to unite with the subscribers in
putting up the building.
With regard to the question, who took the initiatory
steps in the erection of the Academy building, I tliink it is
evident from the language of the paper referred to that the
Lodge of Masons joined the citizens who were interested in
educational matters. The paper says, "members of the
Lodjre have sugcrested a wish to unite," &c : and " Should
it be the desire of said Lodge so to unite, the subscribers
will choose a committee to confer with a committee of the
Lodge," &c.
It scarcely seems necessary to give the names of those
who subscribed, as they can easily be found by any one
who wishes to know them.
This building was erected in the year 1819, and was so
far completed that on the twenty-fifth of December the
APPENDIX XVIII. 191
Masons held their first meeting in their new hall. The hall
must have received Masonic dedication during this month of
December ; Ijccause at a meeting held December 30th,
thanks were given to Bro. Rev. Benjamin Wood for his
address delivered at the late dedication and installation of
S. T. Lodge in Uxbridge ; and thanks were returned to the
Grenadier Company for the honor they conferred on this
occasion.
The proposed school was opened in the autumn of 1820,
— the building not 1)eing ready for occupancy any earlier —
by Mr. Abicl Jaques — graduated at Harvard College 1807,
died in 1852, — who was the principal for a year or more,
when he left the place, and Mr. Abijah Kendall took charge
of it. In 1823, Mr. Jaques returned to the school,' and
was the principal of it until the spring of 1829, when JNIr.
William II. Williams, a gi-aduate of Brown University,
became principal, which office he held for tw^o years.
After Mr. Jaques left the Academy, he took pupils in
special studies, occupying the house afterward owned by
Mr. Joseph Day. One who remembers Mr. Jaques, says
of him : ' ' He was a man of cultivated mind and an ex-
cellent teacher, but very eccentric : " and another says,
"Mr. Jaques was, in my judgment, a most excellent
teacher. He had all the elements which would enable one
to communicate knowledge and incite the scholar to obtain
it by his OAvn exertions. He was kind, afiable and genial
at all times. Those of his pupils who can remember him,
will do so with respect and love."
It may be added, that the school, up to this time, was one
attended by boys and girls.
192 APPENDIX XVIII.
And now we give the histoiy of the Female Seminary.
Among the letters of Mr. Chapin, I find one from Miss
Susan B. Briijham — afterwards Mrs. Kittred":e — and
since it gives so clear a statement of the inception of this
Seminary, I shall draw freely from her statements : —
" The oritjin of the Institution was this. — Several "•entle-
men who had daughters to be educated, desired a school
nearer home for them, and of course began to consult how
to establish such a Seminary. This was in. the autmmi of
1831. Of these gentlemen, Dr. Willard, Bezalecl Taft and
Joseph Thayer, Esqrs., took a prominent part. They pro-
cured the lower room of the INIasonic building and tT\'0 small
upper rooms, and then invited me to take charge of the
school. Early in December, I opened the first term with
thirteen pupils."
The names of eight are given ; the names of the other
five are foro-otten.
"At the close of this half-year, in the spring of 1832,
an efibii; was made to increase the school and to estaljlish it
on a more peiinanent basis. Two recitation rooms were
added to the building, and two assistant-teachers engaged
for the year : IVIiss Catharine Perry for the English
branches, and Miss for ISIusic, besides several
assistant-pupils. The new year opened with forty pupils :
twenty of them were from Providence, R. I. Unfortu-
nately, we had no boarding-house, where teachers and
pupils could be accommodated together ; but the best fami-
lies were ready to take those from out of town. In the
spring of 1833, a boarding-house was procured ■^^^th
accommodations for fifteen or sixteen persons. jNIiss Julia
C. Fisher Avas assistant in the English branches, and Miss
Ann C. Fisher in Music, and several assistant-pupils were
still retained. The year was prosperous, and the school
pleasant."
The house that Mrs. Kittredge refers to, and used as
the first boarding-house, was kept by Col. Emerson and
APPENDIX xvin. 11)3
was known as the "Dr. Smith house." It is now standinj;
nearly opposite the liouse of Charles C. Capron.
"In 1^34," to refer again to the letter, " a larger house
was procured, accommodating forty, both teachers and
pupils." This house is now known as Macomber's block, —
formerly the hotel, moved to its present site in 1834, — and
was kept by Mr. Elias Wheelock. And again, to return to
the letter: "The same assistant teachers were continued,
and another added. Miss Sarah Brigham."
In the spring of 1835, IVIiss Brigham's health failed
and she was compelled to resign her position as principal.
She was succeeded by ISIiss Hall, Avith Miss Anderson as
assistant. Miss HaU was the principal but a single year,
and was succeeded by Miss Laura A. Washl)um, assisted
by Miss JNIaria C. Brigham the first year, and by Miss
Sophia riazen the second year.
And now, and as part of the liistory of the education of
young ladies in Uxbridge, we notice the estal)lishment of
another school ; or, perhaps the continuation of the one just
spoken of, under a new management.
On Thursday, March 2d, 1837, a meeting was held at the
house of AMlliam C. Capron, of a committee that had been
appointed by the EvangeKcal Congregational Church, to
consider the subject of a Young Ladies' High School. At
this meeting, several committees were chosen : and a com-
mittee of three was chosen, consisting of Rev. Mr.
Grosvenor, Dr. George Willard, and Dea. W. C. Capron,
to whom was entrusted the general management of the
school.
This school was to be under the exclusive control of a
25
194 APPENDIX XVIII.
Board of seven Trustees. This Board was to be chosen by
a committee of three of the Evangelical Congi'egational
Church, — who were of the organizing committee — with
power to add to their number ; and four gentlemen, non-
residents, were added. The general purpose of this school
was " to prepare young ladies to become teachers and
educators of youth, and to fill other useful stations in hfe."
In behalf of the Trustees, a circular was issued, dated
March 24th, 1837, saying, the first term of the school
would begin May 3d, 1837, and the school was to be wholly
separate from the male seminary. It was of this school
that Miss Washburn was the principal. For the summer
term, there were fifty-three pupils, and during the year,
seventy-seven. IVIiss Washburn was the principal for three
years : and she was followed by Miss Emma M. Converse,
in May, 1840. Miss Converse was the last teacher.
It seemed best to give the foregoing sketch uninter-
ruptedly : and now we return to the year 1833, when Mr.
E. Porter Dyer, a graduate of Brown University, opened,
in September, a school for boys and girls, in the Centre
school-house. After Mr. Williams left the Academy there
had been no select school that boys could attend, until
Mr. Dyer's was opened. There was so good an attendance
the first term that for the second, the hall over the Bank
was engaged and was properly fitted up. Mr. Dyer had for
his assistant in teaching German and French, ISli*. Henry S.
Dale, also a graduate of Brown ; and jVIiss Rebecca Gregory
gave lessons in music. To distinguish this school fi'om
Miss Brigham's, kept at the same time, it was called
*' The Classical School." Mr. Dyer continued to teach this
ArrENiHx XVII I. ll>5
school with <j:ood success for uhout a 3'c;ir :iiul :i hall". In
the sprini^ of 1835, Dr. J. M. Maconilicr tauj^ht this school
for Olio toriii, until Charles C. Jewcit, wlio would graduate
in September, 1835, could assume the charge of it. When
Mr. Jewett took it, the school must have been moved to the
Academy l)uil(ling, and IVIiss Hall, who succeeded Miss
Brigham, nuist have moved her school to the hall over the
Bank. It was about this time that the trees were set out
by Mr. Jewett, that Mr. Chapin refers to in the Address.
Mr. Jewett was followed by Mr. Grout, and ]\Ir. Grout
by A. L. Stone, — now the Rev. A. L. Stone, D.D., of San
Francisco. Mr. Stone was succeeded by Dr. Macomber,
still residing in towTi, Trho retained his connection with the
school until the spring of 1851, wath the exception of one
or two terms, when Dr. Rickard, then studying his pro-
fession with Dr. Rolibins, was the principal. After Dr.
Macoml)er resigned his office, Mr. Wedge took the school
for about a year, w^hen Nathan Goldthwait became the
principal, who held that office until the opening of the
High School l)y the tow^l in 1855.
In the account given of the Libraries of the town, mention
is made of the Circulating Library of George South-wick,
and that in the same room where it was kept, there was a
Classical School kept by Jczaniah Barrett. Through the
researches of Jonathan F. Southwick, I am able to say of
this school of Barrett's, that it preceded the estabhshment
of any similiar school in the centre of the town by some
twenty years ; ])eing established about 1800, and lasting
for five years. Mr. Southwick for some reason l)ecame
dissatisfied with Mr. Barrett, and the school, so far as
196 APPENDIX XVIII.
it was a classical school, was discontinued ; but his daughter
Kuth opened a school that was kept six days in the week,
and the tuition, — we mention it for the young people of
to-day, that an idea may be gained of the times three-
quarters of a century ago, — was 12^ cents a week. George
Farnum, the liln-arian, was Barrett's assistant, "as he
wanted to learn some of the languages expecting to go to
France, but never did."
Editor, 1879.
APrENDIX XIX.
The Libraries en Uxbridoe.
In pursuing my investigations into the history of the
libraries that have from time to time existed in Uxbridge, I
found, in the address of Mr. Chapin, a reference to the fact
that George Southwick,* at the time he was carrying on his
extensive business in that part of the town once called
" Quaker City," kept a circulating lil)rary ; and suspecting
that this collection of books must have been the first library
in town that was not private, I ^VTote to Jonathan F.
Southwick, and he has sent me the following valuable
letter aljout a matter of much local intererest and of
pardonable local pride. The letter is dated,
*'9th, 8th mo., 1879.
I received thy letter dated 8 mo., 25th, and I will
endeavor to give thee all the infoi-mation that I can obtain
and what I know aliout the library.
It was called the ' Uxbridge Social and Instructive
Lil)rary,' as thee will see by the leaf I send thee, that I
took ft-om a book I found in the neighliorhood, and the
number of said l)ook. I found one book numbered 103.
[The leaf referred to is the title page of a Life of Capt.
James Cook, by Andrew Kippis, D. D., etc., published
at Basil, 1789. Lil)rary number, 52.] The name, Ux-
bridge Social and Instructive Library, mth the date 1775,
* George Southwick was born iu 1747 and died in 1807. He carried on busi-
ness for about thirty-five years.
198 APPENDIX XIX.
was placed on the door of the room Avhcrc the })ooks were
kept, which was in a chamber of an out-l)uilding owned hj
George Southwick. The books were kept in a case, which
it seems to me would hold several hundred volumes. I
recollect when the stockholders assembled to divide the
books, that there was <]uitc a collection of pco})le, and some
strife about the division of the books. Some of the stock-
holders belonged in Khode Island. I have no doubt that
this was the first liljrary in town. I ])elieve it was discon-
tinued about the year 1812. In the room where the lil)rary
was kept, there Avas also a school kept hy a teacher of the
languages, which was very well attended by scholars fi-om
Rhode Island and fi'om this toAvn ; the room at times was
crowded. The teacher's name was Jezaniah Barrett."*
For the following facts, with regard to the libraries in the
centre of the town, I am indebted to the researches of
Charles A. TVTieelock : —
It is difficult to trace accurately the history of the Libra-
ries in Uxbridge prior to the establishment of " The Ux-
bridge Free Public Library," by a vote of the town April
6, 1874, as they have all passed out of existence, and none
of the early records, so far as I know, can be found. It is
within the knowledge of the writer that there was a ' ' Social
Library" in the town in 1821, how much earlier he is
unable to tell ; nor is he aAvare that any shareholder of that
library is living.
A volume now lies before me, vol. 3d, of " Goldsmith's
History of England, 5th edition, Dublin, printed by "VV.
Porter for W. Gilbert and others, 1776," which has the
following inscription :
" Uxbridge Second Social Library, No. 75, Price $ 1.12^."
*Mr. Rarrott published an English Grammar that Mr. C. A. Wheelock
remembers to have seen.
APPENDIX XIX. 199
Several volumes are in my })ossession wliKh were bought
by my father when the library was discontinued. This
being the "Second Social Lil)r:iry "' woidd indicate that
there was another in existence at the time tliis was formed,
or that jn-cviously to this time there had been another. *
Another library was formed as early as 1830 or 1831,
which continued to live with varying degrees of useftihiess
until the establishment of the " Free Public Library."
As many as a thousand volumes, may, at one time have be-
longed to it, as we have seen volmnes which were numbered
over eight hundred, and during the forty years of its exist-
ence it was used by a large number of persons. Books were
purchased and added by the money received from admission
fees, the annual tax, and the fines. f
In the spring of 1873, the " Uxbridge Library Associa-
tion" ofiered the books belonging to the Association to the
town, as a nucleus for a pul)lic library, " provided the town
will establish such a lil)rary." About the same time the
"Uxbridge Agricultural Library Association" made a
similar offer, with the same condition.
At the annual March meeting in 1874, there being an
article in the warrant for the consideration of the sul)ject, it
was voted to af)propriate the " Dog Fund," for the purpose
•Attention Is called to the letter of Mr. Southwick.
t Among Mr. Cliapiu's papers, collected with regard to the Libraries in
Uxbridge, I find a i-eport that Benjamin Adams made to the Library that he
calls, the " First Social Library Society in Uxbridge." This report of Mr.
Adams is dated January 11th, 1836, and was made on the occasion of his having
settle with Jonathan Gregory, Esq., the former treasurer. This libi-ary
according to this paper of Mr. Adams, was formed in January, 1828. The
whole number, who had been members of this library, was 46; and the receipts
had been, from all sources, §126.174. EDITOR.
200 APPENDIX XIX.
of a Public Library, amounting to two hundred and seventy-
five dollars.
A committee, previously appointed, now presented rules
for the management of a pubhc hbrary : the report of the
committee, and its recommendations, were adopted by the
town, and a Board of Trustees was chosen at the same
time.
The Uxbridge Free Public Library, thus established,
went into operation for the delivery of books, January 20,
1875, and had on its shelves six hundred and eighty-
nine volumes ; five hundred and fifteen of wliich were
received from the ' ' Uxbridge Library Association " and the
* ' Agricultural Library Association ; " ninety-seven were
received as presents fi-om individuals, and seventy-seven
volumes were bought })y the Trustees.
The library has now been used four years, and the num-
ber of books on the catalogue has increased to two thousand
one hundred and fifty-four, with man}'' pamphlets and bound
volumes, valuable for reference, not on the printed catalogue.
The number of readers has increased annually since the
opening of the Library, and the indications are that a large
increase in the present year over the past may be ex]Dected.
The readers come from all classes and from every part of
the town.
The annual expenses, met by appropriations made by
the town (which includes the "Dog Fund"), have been a
little more than four hundi-ed dollars. This includes the
sum received for fines for books kept beyond the time
allowed by the rules.
In 1877, a former resident of Uxbridge made a communi-
APPENDIX XIX. 2(»1
ciition lo \hv Tru.steey, enclosing ;i check lor live hundied
dollars, with the request that it should be spent for books
for the library. This request was complied with, and tiie
generous giver was heartily thanked for this munificent gift.
ViV this means, an otherwise unlooked-for and most valual)le
addition was made to the library.
It is well to add, that the liljrary has gained so much in
favor with the people of the town, that its future increase
and usefulness are rendered certain, unless some gi-cat
abuses creep into its management.
Editor.
26
APPENDIX XX.
Banks m Uxbridge.
The Blackstone Bank.
The Blackstone Bank was incorporated August 27th,
1825, with a capital of $100,000, divided into one thousand
shares. In 1865, the name was changed to Blackstone
National Bank ; — the capital remaining the same as before.
The Presidents have been as follows :
John Capron, fi'om August 27th, 1825, to August 17th,
1829.
Bczaleel Taft, Jr., from October 4th, 1830, to October
5th, 1846.
Paul Whitin, from October 5th, 1846, to October 5th,
1865.
In October, 1865, Moses Taft was chosen President and
still holds the office.
The Cashiers have been as follows :
Jonathan Gregory, fi-om August 27th, 1825, to October
3d, 1836.
Ebenezer White Hay ward, from October 3d, 1836, until
his death, May 5th, 1875, a period of nearly forty years.
Mr. Hay ward deserves something more than this passing
notice.
He was born in Braintree, May 22, 1798. In 1831, he
became Cashier of the Mendon Bank, and when that Bank
APPENDIX XX. 203
was (liscontiimcd, lio was in 1^3(1, chosen Casliicr of the
Uxhridge Bank, with whose prosperity he ever after most
thorouirhly idciiliticd liinist'lf, proving a most diligent, faith-
ful and trustworthy officer. He was a true gentleman, an
hunihle christian and the embodiment of integrity in all the
relations of life. A plcasantcr face and a more cheerful
voice one seldom sees or hears. liis name is a legacy to all
who knew him.
Mr. Hayward married IMiss Susan Burbeck in Mendon,
February 27th, 1.S27, who died in 1<S72. Two sons and
two daughters are now living. During the latter years of
iSIr. Hayward's service, Mr. Charles S. Weston was
appointed Assistant-Cashier, and he succeeded to the office
on the death of Mr. Hayward, and now holds the office.
On the night of July 12th, 1874, masked men, having
first forced their entrance into the house of Mr. Hayward,
compelled the Assistant-Cashier to go ^vith them to the
Bank, and under threats of death to open the safe. The
amount of money taken was about $13,000. The robbers
were never discovered ; l)ut some private property, deposited
in the Bank, was found in Boston at a place designated l)y
the robbers.
IVie Uxbridge Savings Bank.
The Uxbridge Savings Bank was incorporated June 3d,
1870.
President, Moses Taft.
Treasurer, Charles A. Taft.
The amount deposited during the first 3'ear or two aston-
ished even its most sanguine friends.
Editor, 1S7!J.
APPENDIX XXI.
TiiE Buuying-Grounds.
The lot of land, where now stands the Town House, the
High School, the Methodist Church, is the lot that Daniel
Taft gave the town for a burying-place. The deed is dated
March 20th, 1737 ; and according to the deed, he gave the
land " for, and in consideration of the love and affection I
bear to y*" town of Uxbridge ; " and ' ' for diverse other val-
uable considerations me moving hereunto." I find, that
previous to the gift, the land had been used for a burjing-
place.
In 17()1, November 13th, the town voted to fence the
burying-ground with a stone wall, four and a half feet high.
In 1768, the town voted to fence the burying-gi'ound — the
money to be raised by su])scription.
By a deed, dated April loth, 1795, and recorded August
26th of the same year, Jonathan Farnuni conveyed to the
town the land commonly known as the new burying-ground,
" in consideration of the sum of 20£ lawful money paid me
by the inhal)itants of Uxbridge." This lot of land contained
one and a half acres. Mr. Farnum reserved to liimself and
Ms heirs forever, six square rods of land, where his father,
David Farnum, was l)uriecl ; provided the town would
make, and keep in repair, a good fence around said tract.
The first interment in tliis ground, was the body of
APPENDIX XXI. 205
ElxMiczcr White, August 21st, 171tH. This was some four
and a half years before the division of the land into lots made
by order of the town : for in 1797, September (Jth, it was
voted to choose a committee to divide the new burying-
gi'ound into lots, so as to accommodate families in the most
convenient manner, and to take a plan of the same, and lay
the same before the town for their approl)ation. The
committee reported a plan Fel)ruary 12th, 1798, which was
adopted. But the plan does not appear on the records.
The old buryiug-ground continued to be used until about
1854. Mr. Scott Seagrave says, the last adult buried in
the old gi'ound was a man named Stone, who did not
belong here — he was employed as an hostler and was
killed by the kick of a horse. The last, belonging to the
town, buried here, w^ere Patty Peirce and Mrs. Caleb
Farnum.
In 1855, Dea. W. C. Capron opened his land, containing
eight acres and fifty-one rods, adjoining the new l)urying-
gi'ound, for a new cemetery, calling it Prospect Hill Ceme-
tery. The first hody buried here was the wife of Josiah S.
Knowlton, in the autumn of 1855. The first deeds were
made out JNlay 1st, 185G. The first deed was given to Asa
Newell, of Providence, Rhode Island, and conveyed the lot
now owned by Ebenezer H. Davis.
At first, Mr. Capron generously spent all the money he
received from the sale of lots, in embellishing the grounds,
laying out walks and drives, setting out trees, and grading.
Afterwards he retained one haif of the purchase money.
From the year 18(15 to 1.S75, remains were taken from
the old ground and placed in Prospect Hill Cemetery ; and
206 APPENDIX XXI.
a record of the bodies, as obtained from the gravestones, may
be found on the town records ; — the body of Rev. Nathan
Webb, the first settled minister of Uxbridge, being among
the number ; ]mt the order of the names on the town records
is not the order in which the bodies were removed : — these
bodies were interred in lots bought by the town of Deacon
Capron for the purpose. Three were purchased in 1869,
December 20th, and three more in 1871, September 20th.
In March, 1876, in town meeting, the town considered
the question " to see if the town will vote to appropriate a
sum of money for the purpose of improving the town's lot
in Prospect Hill Cemetery," — and chose a committee to carry
the same into eflect. " Voted, to refer it to the selectmen,
who shall report at a future meeting." Upon Article 21st,
March 12th, 1877, the town voted that Henry Capron,
Moses T. Murdock and Henry G. Taft be a committee to
carry into eftect the suggestions of the former committee,
at an expense not exceeding |250. In March, 1871), the
town voted to increase its appropriation $150 for repairing
and fixing up its lot in the cemetery.
In 1863, a suit was brought against the town for trespass
on the old burying-ground. The position taken was, that
the land lieing given hy Daniel Taft for a burning-ground
" forever," precluded the town from using it for any other
purpose, as it was intending to do. It was decided by the
Supreme Court, that a grant of land Avhich is to Ije used for
a burying-place " forever," " in consideration of love and
afi'ection," and " for diverse other valual)le considerations,"
is not a grant upon conditions, and the town gained the suit.
I am indebted to the research of Friend Jonathan F.
APPENDIX XXI. 207
ISouthwieU, lor the lollowin^ tiict.s with rcgurd to the
Fiic'iid's l)urying-grouiKls in the south part of the town.
He says, " The oldest l)urying-ground in Uxbridge, we
think, is owned hv the heirs of Georsfe Southwick. It
contains about three-quarters of an acre." The southern
part of the town was lirst settled by the Soutliwicks, who
came from Salem about the year 1700. Daniel, called
I' Preacher Daniel," is the first of whom w'c can speak with
certainty; and by him, this })lace for l)urial was probably
laid out. He and his wife lie here. The first burial of
which we have authentic record was in 1746, but many
were buried here at an earlier date. Friends in those days
did not use marked stones, but would use common flat
stones to indicate where a body was placed. The oldest
marked stones now visil)le, bear the date of 1811. The
burial-ground owaied, and now used, by the Uxbridge meet-
ing of Friends, was purchased by them of Moses Farnum
in 1800, containing half an acre, and is situated very near
the brick meeting-house, built in 1770. The stones, marked
1749, 1759, 1776 and 1780, were removed from other
grounds and placed here.
Editor.
APPENDIX XXII.
We ofive, in the followino: list, the names — so for as we
have licen al)lc to procure them, and we have tried to be
very accurate in making it up — of the soldiers in the armies
in the United States engaged in putting down the rel)ellion,
who enlisted as residents of Uxbridge. The list, therefore,
does not include the names of those who stand to the credit
of the town, nor do we give the regiments in which these
men enlisted, because it scarcely seemed necessary to do so.
Those whose names are marked with a star (*), died,
either in the service of the United States, or as prisoners of
war.
This whole list, we now and here gratefully and tenderly
place on record.
Barnam, W. H.
Barrows, Chester
Aldrich, G.
Aldrich, Gideon
Aldrich, James G.
Aldrich, John A.
Aldrich, M. A.
Aldrich, W. D. F.
Andy, J.
Anson, Henry
Anthony, Sylvanus
Arnold, Edmond C.
Bacon, James M.
Ballou, G. \
Barry, J.
Bennett, James
Bent, Ferdinand A.
Blanchard, W.
Bolster, Andrew J.
Bolster, G. W.
Boyce, James
Bradford, C.
Brajnan, C.
*Braman, P. E.
Brashaw, J.
APPENDIX XXII.
201)
Brick, Orvillc
Brown, George
Bryant, Perry
*Burril, Al)rjiham
Bush, Augustus L.
Cad well, Jerome
Carpenter, A.
Carpenter, J.
Chapman, H.
Chappell, J.
Christy, W. J.
Clark, Elmore
Cleveland, Charles
Cole, George E.
Cole, Granville
* Cole, W. J.
* Collar, H. A.
Cooney, Andrew
Cosgi'ove, Lewis
Co3'le, Patrick
Cummings, Julius
Dexter, Jos. W.
Donnell, E. Mc
Duffy, John
Dugan, IMichael
Duffee, Owen
Eames, A. M.
27
Englcy, E.
Engley, H. M.
Farris, Daniel R.
Finchon, T.
Fitch, G. O.
Fitch, H. N.
Fitsgerald, W.
Fits-Simmons, A. T.
Fuller, Clifford
* Garside, Andrew J.
Gibney, Luke P.
Gibson, H. O.
Gifford, Jos. H.
Graham, Henry H.
Guild, Oliver A.
Hall, Chandler
Hall, George
Hall, John D.
Hall, Stephen
Hamilton, Thomas
* Hay den, Frank
* Hay den, Walter
Hayward, H. C.
*Hiland, T.
Hill, Reuben
Hinchcliff, J.
Holhs, A. J.
210
APPENDIX XXII.
Holroyd, G.
Horton, Andrew
Horton, H.
Horton, Jerome
Howard, C. H.
Howard, W. C.
Johnson, Albro
Johnson, Stephen C.
Johnson, J. H.
Kavanah, James
Keeting, Francis
Kemp, David
Kenny, George W.
Kenney,
Kenness, J.
Keinnay, Jas. H.
Kelley, J.
Kingston, Han*ison
Kinney, George W.
Kernes, Peter
Lackey, Eugene
Lackey, Samuel W.
Legge, Geo. W.
*Legge, H. H.
Lynch, James
Magee, J. A.
Mahoncy, J. F.
McArthur, W. S.
McArthur, Walter
*Metcalf, A. B.
Metcalf, W. H.
Minott, Frankhn
Minott, W. H.
Morrisey, John
*Mowry, Arnold
Mulligan, James
Murdock, Walter
Murphy, J.
Olney, Ed.
O'Sullivan, James
Kawson, C. C.
Kawson, Orrin
Reed, James
Reed, Levi
Richardson, Dexter
Russell, James
Ryan, Ed.
Ryan, W.
Ryder, James
Rugg, Chas. H.
*Sabin, R. M.
Sawyer, Willard W.
Scarborough, Ellas
APPENDIX XXII.
211
Scholiekl, Ed.
Seagi'jive, Chas. S.
Seagi-ave, Frank
Seagi-avc, James
Seagi-avc, Geo. L.
Seagi-ave, Lawson A.
Seagrave, A. Mason
Seagrave, W. H.
Searles, Ancb-ew J.
Sheehcn, Napoleon B.
Sherman, A. A.
Sprague, G. W.
Smith, Charles M.
Smith, J.
Smith, J.
Smith, Sam. W.
Smith, S.
Tafb, Albert
Tait, Francis M.
Tail, Henry L.
Taft, Isaac D.
Taft, James
Thompson, Charles H.
Thompson, Eb D.
Thompson, George
Thompson, Samuel C.
Toomey, Farrell
Vibberts, G. L.
Wilber, Daniel
Wilber, Jos. H.
Wilcox, Noah
Wilson, Charles
Wilson, Hiram
Wheeler, Chas. E. L.
White, Addison R.
Whitmore, Hannibal
Wood, Wilbam
C. A. W. AND Editor.
APPENDIX XXIII.
Mrs. Margaret L. Bennett.
In the Uxbridge Cotn^jendium of May 15, 1875, appear-
ed the followino: notice of Marijfaret L. Bennett, dauofhter
of Hon. Bczaleel Taft, Jr., and Hannah (Spring) Taft, who
was born Nov. 14, 1818, and died May 9, 1875. It seems
appropriate to give place here to the mention of one whose
memory lives in many hearts, and who was closely associ-
ated for many years with the best interests of her native
town : —
Uxbridge has sustained an irreparable loss in the death
of Mrs. Margaret L. Bennett, wife of Dr. A. W. Bennett,
whose earthly pilgrimage closed on Sunday, May 9th.
Mrs. Bennett was prominently identified with the Sunday
School work of the Unitarian Church, and was peculiarly
fitted for a teacher and director of the young. She had
charge of the infant class for a period of nearly sixteen
years.
Mrs. Bennett was a woman of literary tastes, and pos-
sessed more than ordinary strength as a writer of Sunday
School Books. Among the productions of her pen are :
"Early Lessons on the Life of the Saviour," "Every
Sunday," and " Many Teachers but One Lesson," M^hich
were written especially for the young. Other works of
214 APPENDIX xxni.
hers, adapted for older readers, are entitled: *' Day unto
Day," and " The Bible Rule of Life," and have been highly
spoken of, and Avidely circulated, both in this country and
abroad.
We can add nothing which will more fittingly illustrate
the importance of Mrs. Bennett's work, than the following
extract from an article written by Hon. Henry Chapin, and
published in the Worcester Sjiy :
" No brief tribute can do justice to Mrs. Bennett's life
and character. Many have known her in her Sunday
School Books, and in the little volume for every day in
the year, entitled ; ' Day unto Day,' but those who have
known her for so many 3 ears, the devoted teacher of a
large infant class in the Sunday School, and have met her
in the charming intercourse of her daily life, realize more
clearly the purity and nobility of her nature. Always
busy, yet always at leisure for the exercise of christian
hospitality, she blended in herself the qualities of mind
and heart which made her a l)lessing in her home, and a
benediction to the whole community. It needed not that
she should pass on, to leave a record that all should
cherish. She l:)ore with her, day by day, the love and
homage of all who knew her.
The true blessing of such a life ceases not Avith the life
of the body. Although her angelic presence is no longer
with us, the sanctifying influence of her exami)le shall
remain, to hallow and bless the world in which she so
thoroughly tilled up the measure of christian duty."
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